Russian forces have killed 30 people and wounded 18 others after two civilian buses were struck by a glide-bomb attack in Kramatorsk, a frontline city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to local authorities.
Donetsk Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin said three additional people were killed in nearby Bilenke, which is part of the Kramatorsk community.
Filashkin accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting passenger buses. Images released by Ukrainian prosecutors showed a burned-out bus, debris scattered across the road and victims at the scene.
The Kramatorsk City Council condemned the attack, saying the area contained no military targets. Russia had not publicly commented on the allegations at the time of the report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike and warned that Ukraine would respond.
“This strike will not go without our response,” Zelensky said, while calling on international partners to provide additional air-defence and military support.
Following the attack, Filashkin urged residents in frontline areas to evacuate to safer parts of Ukraine. Authorities also suspended public transportation in Kramatorsk and neighbouring Slovyansk, citing concerns over the safety of passengers and drivers.
Kramatorsk and Slovyansk form part of a key defensive belt in Donetsk, an area that has come under increasing Russian military pressure.
The two cities are located in the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk. Russian forces control most of Luhansk and are continuing efforts to seize the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk.
Glide bombs have become a major component of Russia’s attacks in eastern Ukraine. Fitted with wings and guidance systems, the weapons can travel considerable distances after being released from aircraft.
The Kramatorsk attack comes amid an increase in Russian strikes across Ukraine. The United Nations has reported a sharp rise in civilian casualties, with the number of civilians killed by August already exceeding the total recorded during all of 2025.
Elsewhere, a Russian strike on a five-storey residential building in Pryluky, east of Kyiv, killed 22 people, including five children.
Russian attacks have also intensified around Kyiv, where Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people were killed and 14 others injured in Thursday’s attacks.
The strikes have disrupted transportation, businesses, schools and essential services, while damage to energy infrastructure has caused power and water disruptions in some areas.
Zelensky has continued to call for stronger international action against Russia, including additional air-defence systems and tougher sanctions.
The latest Kramatorsk strike has further heightened fears among civilians living near the frontline and added to growing concerns over the escalating toll of Russia’s long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities
