Ukraine Accuses Russia of Targeting Civilians After 30 Killed in Kramatorsk Bus Strikes

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Targeting Civilians After 30 Killed in Kramatorsk Bus Strikes

Ukraine has blamed the Russian military for targeting civilians, with attacks on two buses in frontline city Kramatorsk killing at least 30 people in the most lethal reported attack in recent weeks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday’s attack was “a crime” and would “continue to claim lives” as emergency services continue their response.

The photos released by the local authorities show the vehicles burning and debris strewn on the road. Zelensky promised the attack would not be left without a response and that Russia is trying to wipe out civilian life in the eastern Donbas region.

“The world must answer this, as Russia is trying to destroy everything in Donbas with the help of which life exists,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Vadym Filashkin, the governor of Donetsk region, stated that Russian troops have deliberately targeted civilians and broken international humanitarian law. The local authorities in Kramatorsk said there were no military targets in the vicinity of the strikes. Emergency services state that there were three more reported deaths in a nearby village, which were caused by shelling.

The Kramatorsk attack came after another deadly strike, in Pryluky in the northern region of Chernihiv in Ukraine, killing 22 people, including five young children, according to reports.

The scale and nature of violence against civilians in Ukraine is reprehensible, said United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in his condemnation of reported attacks on civilians in Ukraine. Türk called on both sides to exercise caution in safeguarding civilian populations when conducting military operations.

The United Nations has confirmed over 17,000 civilian casualties since Russia started its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and estimates it could be significantly higher. Peace Talks between the United States and Ukraine are due to begin.

As tensions got worse, Zelensky said his country’s negotiators have been making it to the United States for discussions on Friday and Saturday. The Ukrainian president also stated that it would be representatives of Europe who would take part in the talks in Kyiv. Britain, France, Germany, NATO and the European Union (EU) officials were invited to the talks, as per AFP.

The talks will consider proposals that arose on the basis of recent diplomatic contacts between the representatives of the United States, Russia and Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that the military deadlock had created a precarious situation, raising the possibility of more escalation.

Sources also worried about the coming winter and the impact of the conflict on civilians. Civilian infrastructure is under increasing pressure in Kyiv. Military operations have been stepped up with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones in Ukraine’s capital, hitting civilian facilities.

There are reports of damage to key transport links such as bridges and railway facilities, and strikes on energy infrastructure have been a factor in the power disruptions. Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said it was a battle for life for the city in the ongoing conflict as it enters a new winter. In the meantime, Kramatorsk is a military logistics and supply centre of great importance for Ukraine in the eastern Donetsk region.

The city with a pre-war population of about 150,000 was part of the heavily defended belt of cities in Ukraine alongside neighbouring Sloviansk.

Russian troops have moved closer to the eastern outskirts of the city, and the demand again came out for the remaining civilians to move to safer areas. Ukraine has also said it has launched counteroffensive in the area of Lyman to the north of Kramatorsk, regaining some territory from the Russians.

Separately, Russian technology company Yandex reported that a drone attack had caused a fire at one of its data centres.

The latest developments highlight the ongoing humanitarian and military impact of the war, while negotiations push for a negotiated resolution.

But Russia has already denied making deliberate attempts to target civilians. The allegations of the Kramatorsk bus strikes have been never proven independently.