"Doctors are working to save those injured in Russia's attack on Kramatorsk. As of now, 30 people have been confirmed dead, a number that could rise. Russian bombs hit two buses operating in the city," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 8/10.

He added that the incident also injured 18 people and warned of retaliation. Authorities have not yet identified some of the deceased due to severe injuries. Ukrainian police stated that glide bombs were used in the attack.

Scene of the bus attack in Kramatorsk on 8/10. Video: X/ZelenskyyUa

Vadym Filashkin, head of the Ukrainian-established military administration in Donetsk province, accused Russia of targeting passenger buses to "kill as many civilians as possible". Images released by local officials showed the buses burned to their frames and bodies scattered on the ground.

"Once again, Russia attacked an area with no military targets," the Ukrainian-established city council in Kramatorsk stated.

AMK Mapping, an X account specializing in open-source war data, noted that the two buses were affected by the shockwave caused by the glide bombs.

"Mandatory evacuation orders for civilians should have been issued in Kramatorsk and Slovyansk months ago, yet the city administration still allowed the public transport system to operate normally," the account stated.

Russian glide bombs use inertial navigation and satellite guidance systems, typically for attacking fixed targets such as strongholds, trenches, and fortified infrastructure, rather than moving vehicles. Navigation system errors, as well as electronic warfare measures, can also affect bomb accuracy.

Buses burned to their frames after the attack in Kramatorsk on 8/10. Photo: DSNS

Filashkin said he would order the suspension of public transport in Kramatorsk and the nearby city of Slovyansk due to the "seriously deteriorating security situation".

Ukrainian officials added that three people also died in a Russian attack on Bilenke village in Donetsk province.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented.

Kramatorsk and Slovyansk are the two largest cities still under Ukrainian control in Donetsk province, and also the two most important strongholds in a chain of urban areas known as the "fortress belt", stretching about 50 km. This is Ukraine's most fortified defensive line in the region, strengthened over more than 10 years, posing a significant challenge to Russian attacks.

Kramatorsk has served as a logistics and supply hub for the Ukrainian military for most of the conflict. Russian infantry units are approaching the city's eastern flank, while glide bombs and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used to attack Ukrainian troop positions and equipment within the city.

Location of Kramatorsk. Graphics: BBC

The Kramatorsk attack occurred one day after a 5-story apartment building in Pryluky, Chernihiv province, was hit by a missile, killing 22 people, including 5 children. Ukraine attributed the incident to a Russian missile.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated it carried out a coordinated attack using high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeting defense facilities in several Ukrainian provinces, including Kyiv and Chernihiv, as well as port infrastructure and ship repair facilities in Odesa.

Some Russian social media accounts suggested the apartment building in Pryluky was damaged by a misfired Ukrainian air defense missile. However, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine rejected this claim.

By Pham Giang (According to Reuters, BBC, Ukrainska Pravda)