More than 30 killed by Russian strike on bus stop in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk
Russian forces dropped an aerial bomb on a bus stop in the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Thursday, killing 33 people and injuring 18 others, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
Rescue workers said a bus full of passengers was hit and burned out completely, while a second bus caught fire. Following the attack, public transport was suspended in Kramatorsk and neighbouring Sloviansk, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
“Russian forces are deliberately targeting civilians. For them, a bus full of passengers is an attractive target precisely because a single strike can kill as many people as possible,” Filashkin said.
Kramatorsk is regularly targeted by Russian strikes. Traffic lights in the city have been turned off since 30 September; there are few cars on the streets, and Russian drones periodically chase them. Drivers are advised not to stop.
Public transport had previously stopped running in the settlements of Krasnohirka, Ivanivka, Krasnotorka and Bilenke, on Kramatorsk’s outskirts. Buses continued to operate in Kramatorsk, with routes adjusted daily.
“It became impossible to work. For a while we kept driving because passenger buses weren’t being targeted, but now…” a source at the city’s tram and trolleybus authority told Novaya Gazeta Europe. “The bomb hit a stop on Yubileina Street, near a clinic and a dental office. People were standing at the stop, people were travelling to appointments and back. The bus driver was also killed.”
The source added that this was the second death of a bus driver within a week. Earlier, a bus driver was struck in the head by shrapnel while on his route during a drone attack. He was evacuated to Pavlohrad and underwent surgery, but fell into a coma on the way there and died after the operation.
“He was supposed to quit this Monday. Public transport is dying. The new buses have already been evacuated from the city; what’s left are the old ones that can still run, and the most determined drivers. It’s difficult,” the source said.
At the same time, both of Kramatorsk’s large markets remain open, although only about a third of vendors have stayed. Some pharmacies are still operating, and ATMs continue to be replenished with cash. Grocery stores and coffee shops are also open.
Business owners have been looking for replacements for workers who have left, posting vacancies in specialised Telegram channels. The most sought-after jobs in Kramatorsk are currently cooks, baristas, drivers, waiters and administrators. Most employers offer to pay wages daily.
Most of the city is closed to military traffic on security grounds. Russian forces strike Kramatorsk daily with aerial bombs weighing 250 and 500 kilograms.
