At least 33 people have been killed and another 18 injured after Russian glide bombs struck two civilian buses in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials and rescue workers.
Civilian buses hit in Kramatorsk
Two buses carrying civilians were hit in a Russian glide bomb attack in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, Ukrainian authorities said.
Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said 33 people were killed and 18 others wounded. He accused Russia of deliberately targeting passenger buses in an attempt to cause as many civilian casualties as possible.
The BBC reported that images released by local prosecutors showed the burned-out remains of one of the buses and debris scattered across the road. Moscow had not commented on the attack at the time of publication.
Filashkin urged residents who remain in the Donetsk region to leave for safer parts of Ukraine. Public transport has also been ordered to stop in Kramatorsk and neighbouring Slovyansk following the sharp deterioration in security.
“We have no right to risk the lives of passengers and drivers,” Filashkin said, stressing that the safety of civilians was the priority.
Kramatorsk under growing pressure
Kramatorsk and nearby Slovyansk form part of a defensive belt in the Donbas that Russia is seeking to capture as its forces advance through eastern Ukraine.
Kramatorsk has served as an important logistics and supply hub for Ukrainian forces throughout much of the war. The city is now facing increasingly frequent Russian attacks as Russian troops move closer.
Glide bombs have been used repeatedly against both Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. These weapons are fitted with wings that allow them to glide towards their targets after being released from an aircraft.
Kramatorsk City Council described the latest attack as a “horrific crime” against civilians, saying there were no military targets at the location that was hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also condemned the attack and said it would receive a response.
Doctors are now fighting to save the lives of people injured in the Russian strike on Kramatorsk. As of now, 30 people have been confirmed killed, and sadly, that number may rise. The Russian bomb effectively hit two city minibuses. Some of those killed have still not been identified because of the severity of their injuries. My condolences to all their families and loved ones. Another 18 people were injured in the strike. Residential buildings and cars were also damaged.
This strike will not go unanswered. Russia is trying to destroy all life in Donbas, and a response from the world is a must. A forceful response – exactly as the Russians deserve for all the deaths they have brought. May all those killed rest in peace.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 8, 2026
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Kyiv also hit as schools and public transport disrupted
Russian air raids continued over Kyiv on Thursday, with air-raid sirens sounding throughout the day. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people had been killed and 14 wounded in attacks on the capital, with two of those injured reported to be in critical condition.
The strikes have disrupted daily life across the city. Schoolchildren have been sent to shelters, businesses have closed and public transport has been affected.
Attacks on energy infrastructure have also caused power cuts and disrupted water supplies. Local water authorities warned that water pressure was falling across parts of Kyiv’s right bank because of electricity shortages.
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Civilian deaths surge as Russian attacks intensify
These attacks come after a sharp increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine. According to the United Nations, more Ukrainian civilians had been killed by August this year than during the whole of 2025. On Wednesday, a Russian strike destroyed part of a five-storey residential building in Pryluky, east of Kyiv, killing 22 people, including five children. Three of the children were just one year old.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who met Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, said the Pryluky attack demonstrated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “evil intent and evil strategy”. He also announced additional UK sanctions targeting Russia’s war effort, including its shadow fleet, oil companies, cryptocurrency and other sources of war financing. The UK, Lammy said, would continue to support Ukraine “as long as it takes”.
Ukraine calls for more air defence
Zelensky has called on Ukraine’s international partners to provide concrete support, including new defence packages to protect the country from Russian attacks. Ukraine has faced shortages of interceptor missiles as Russia and Ukraine have both intensified long-range strikes in recent months.
Russian attacks have increasingly targeted Ukrainian infrastructure, including energy facilities, data centres and logistics sites, while Ukrainian forces have continued to carry out strikes against targets inside Russia. For civilians in cities such as Kramatorsk and Kyiv, however, air-raid warnings and shelters are among the few available protections against incoming attacks.
Despicable war crimes. But unfortunately nothing new – Russia has been doing them since day 1 when Russia started aggressive war attack on sovereign Ukraine.