KRAMATORSK, Ukraine – In the ongoing Russian military operations in eastern Ukraine, a tragic event unfolded on Thursday, October 8, as Russian occupation forces launched a strike against the frontline city of Kramatorsk, resulting in significant casualties and the suspension of public transportation services. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine via Telegram and reports by the Ukrainian News agency, the attack on a passenger bus resulted in 33 deaths and 18 injuries.
The strike caused fires in two buses and an open area, with rescuers providing aid to victims and extinguishing flames. Initially, the City Council reported preliminary data indicating at least 12 people killed and at least 13 injured.
Vadym Filashkin, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, later reported an increase in the casualty count from the Russian strike. Public transportation services in Kramatorsk were subsequently suspended following the attack. The attack on the buses in Kramatorsk is part of a broader pattern of Russian strikes on Ukraine, with other sources reporting additional casualties elsewhere.
In Priluki, 22 people, including five children, were killed, bringing the total death toll across multiple attacks to at least 35 according to some aggregations. However, the specific incident in Kramatorsk involving the bombing of two buses is consistently reported across multiple outlets as resulting in at least 30 deaths, with several sources specifying 33 dead and 18 injured.
The Ukrainian National News (УНН) reported that the number of victims from the strike on buses in Kramatorsk had doubled, prompting the suspension of public transportation services. Other sources, including BBC and Reuters, confirmed the attack on a scheduled bus in Kramatorsk led to significant casualties, with BBC stating officials said at least 30 were killed in the bus strike as deadly attacks on Ukraine surged.
The attack occurred in the context of ongoing Russian military operations in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk Region, where Kramatorsk remains a key stronghold. No further details about the identities of the victims, specific bus routes, or the type of munition used are provided in the source material.
