A Russian missile strike on a commuter bus in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, killed at least 30 people on Thursday, local officials reported, marking the latest attack targeting civilians amid Moscow’s continuing military campaign. The blast left behind the charred remains of the vehicle and shattered nearby residential buildings, highlighting the human toll of Russia’s intensified assaults on Ukrainian towns.
The incident occurred as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Pryluky, approximately 200 miles from the frontlines, where he stood near the debris of an apartment building recently destroyed by a Russian missile. That strike, which took place on Wednesday, resulted in 22 deaths, including five children, and entire families were lost. Zelensky used the visit to urge the international community to do more to counter Russian aggression.
In Pryluky, Zelensky warned that Russia is expanding its capabilities in the air, using increasingly sophisticated weapons to inflict destruction. He also raised concerns about China developing technology to challenge the Starlink satellite network and its reported plans to share this technology with Russia. Zelensky called on the United States to authorize Ukraine’s use of Starlink to target Russian missile and drone launch sites inside Russia, linking inaction to ongoing civilian casualties.
Throughout the conflict, Russia has targeted civilian infrastructure, but the death toll has grown as Moscow deploys more advanced precision-guided weapons and deploys an escalating number of jet-powered drones. Ukrainian Air Force data indicates Russia launched around 3,500 jet drones across Ukraine in September, a significant increase from 350 in June. These drones, which can travel at hundreds of miles per hour, strain Ukraine’s air defenses, prompting efforts to develop effective interceptors.
On Thursday morning, a jet-powered drone struck a store in downtown Kyiv, killing three people and injuring 14, city officials said. This came a day after a wide-scale Russian bombardment killed at least 30 people nationwide, including six in the capital. Zelensky noted that these attacks coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 74th birthday, calling the violence a "gift" Putin gave himself.
Aside from drones and missiles, frontline cities like Kramatorsk continue to suffer sustained artillery and guided bomb attacks, which can carry hundreds of pounds of explosives. In August alone, Russian forces dropped a record 8,700 guided bombs on military and civilian targets, according to Ukrainian military reports. The most effective defense against these strikes remains eliminating the aircraft delivering the bombs or destroying their storage facilities.
Eastern Donetsk remains the primary battleground, with Ukraine holding roughly 20% of the region, including key cities such as Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Approximately 93,000 civilians, including over 4,200 children, continue to live under Ukrainian control in Donetsk, local officials say.
Vadym Polakshn, head of the Donetsk regional military administration, condemned the targeting of civilians, stating that Russia deliberately aims for maximum casualties. "For them, a bus carrying passengers is an attractive target precisely because a single strike can kill as many people as possible," he said following the Kramatorsk attack.