Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk buses kills at least 30 civilians

A Russian attack on two buses in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk has killed at least 30 people and wounded 18 others, local authorities reported on Thursday. The city is located near the front line of the conflict. The local prosecutor's office released images showing bodies and debris scattered across a road in front of a burning bus. Police confirmed that the strike occurred on a street where two city buses were operating.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack hit a bus stop and promised a response from Ukraine. "This strike will not go unanswered. Russia is attempting to destroy all life in Donbas, and the world must respond ... firmly," he wrote on Telegram. Donetsk governor Vadym Filashkin accused Russia of "deliberately targeting civilians," stating that "for them, a bus with passengers is an attractive target precisely because one strike can kill as many people as possible."

However, an Al Jazeera correspondent noted that some types of bombs lack the precision of ballistic missiles or drones, so it remains unclear whether the buses were intentionally targeted or were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The attack is described as one of the deadliest in the region in recent months, highlighting how increasingly dangerous Kramatorsk has become. Moscow has not commented on the strike.