Kyiv: At least 35 people were killed and more than 30 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine overnight and into Thursday morning, with a strike on passenger buses in Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region killing 30 people and injuring 18, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Russian attacks across several parts of Ukraine killed at least 35 people and injured more than 30, Ukrainian authorities said on Thursday. Emergency teams continued rescue and recovery operations, with officials warning that the casualty figures could rise.
The deadliest reported incident took place in Kramatorsk, a frontline city in the Donetsk region, where two passenger buses were struck. Ukrainian authorities said 30 people were killed and 18 wounded.
Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians and said the attack demonstrated the growing risks faced by passengers and drivers. Following the strike, authorities ordered the suspension of public transport services in Kramatorsk and neighboring Sloviansk.
Filashkin said protecting residents had become the priority as the security situation deteriorated. He also accused Russia of disregarding international humanitarian law, allegations that Moscow has repeatedly rejected in the wider conflict.
Zelensky vows response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike on the buses would not go unanswered. He accused Russia of seeking to destroy civilian life in Donbas and called for a firm international response.
The Kramatorsk attack came a day after another deadly Russian strike hit a five-storey apartment building in northern Ukraine. According to UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, 22 people, including five children, were killed in that attack.
Miliband visited the site alongside Zelensky and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of attempting to win the war by terrorizing civilians rather than solely through battlefield operations.
UK announces fresh sanctions on Russia
During his visit, Miliband announced additional UK sanctions targeting Russia’s oil sector, shadow fleet, cryptocurrency networks and entities accused of supporting Moscow’s war effort.
The new measures include sanctions on Russian oil companies Zarubezhneft and INK Capital, 12 oil tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, three crypto exchanges and two payment platforms. Britain also announced sanctions against 17 entities and individuals involved in supplying goods considered important to Russia’s military effort.
The UK has separately committed £100 million to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, including through support involving Patriot missiles, as Kyiv prepares for another winter of the war.
What the latest attacks mean
The latest strikes highlight the continued danger to civilians as Russia’s war in Ukraine enters another winter. The Kramatorsk attack is particularly significant because the reported casualties involved civilian passenger buses in a frontline city.
Ukraine has repeatedly sought stronger air defense and additional international sanctions as Russian attacks continue. The latest British measures indicate that Western governments are continuing to combine military assistance with economic pressure on Moscow.
The full scale of the overnight attacks and the final casualty toll remain subject to further assessment as emergency teams continue operations.