RismadarVoice Reporters
October 8, 2026
At least 30 people are feared dead and 18 others injured following a Russian aerial strike that hit a public bus in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Thursday, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Ukraine’s National Police said the attack occurred at approximately 10 a.m. local time, striking a street where two buses were travelling.
The reported death toll has raised concerns over the continued exposure of civilians to military attacks in eastern Ukraine.
Donetsk Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilians, describing the incident as another deadly attack on residents.
Filashkin released photographs showing a severely damaged bus and destruction at the scene.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also condemned the strike, accusing Russia of attacking an ordinary public transport stop with an aerial bomb.
Images circulated by Ukrainian officials showed extensive damage to the bus and surrounding roadway.
The circumstances of the strike and the reported casualty figures could not be independently verified.
Kramatorsk, situated in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, has remained strategically important throughout the conflict, with Russian forces continuing military operations across eastern Ukraine.
The latest incident comes amid intensified aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, placing additional pressure on the country’s air defence capabilities.
Ukrainian authorities have also reported shortages of ammunition for Patriot air defence systems, raising concerns about the country’s ability to intercept incoming missiles.
In a separate incident on Wednesday, a Russian missile strike reportedly hit a residential building in northern Ukraine, killing 22 people, including five children.
The two reported attacks have renewed concerns about civilian casualties as the war continues, despite international diplomatic efforts to secure a negotiated settlement.
Ukrainian authorities have called for stronger international action to protect civilians and prevent further attacks on residential areas and public infrastructure.
There was no immediate, independently verified Russian response to the allegations concerning the Kramatorsk strike.
