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Kramatorsk railway station attack

Coordinates: 48°43′33.58″N 37°32′35.24″E / 48.7259944°N 37.5431222°E / 48.7259944; 37.5431222
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Kramatorsk railway bombing
Part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive
Missile debris with inscription on it 'за детей' - 'for children'
Kramatorsk railway station attack is located in Donetsk Oblast
Kramatorsk railway station attack
Kramatorsk railway station attack (Donetsk Oblast)
LocationKramatorsk railway station, Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates48°43′33.58″N 37°32′35.24″E / 48.7259944°N 37.5431222°E / 48.7259944; 37.5431222
DateApril 8, 2022
~10:24[1] (UTC+3)
WeaponsTochka-U ballistic missiles, cluster munitions (per Ukraine)
Deaths50+
Injured87–300[2]
PerpetratorsRussian Armed Forces (denied by Russia)

The Kramatorsk railway bombing was the launching of two missiles at the Kramatorsk railway station in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast on April 8, 2022 during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, at least 50 people were killed[3][4][5] and 87 to 300 people were injured.[6] The attack was attributed by Ukrainian authorities to Russian forces, which Russia denied.

Background

Main articles: Eastern Ukraine offensive and 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

On February 28, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces allied with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republicsled an offensive to make the republics gain full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, capturing numerous towns and laying siege to cities such as Mariupol and Chernihiv. The Armed Forces of Ukraine countered the offensive, relying heavily on troops from Sloviansk and Kramatorsk to act as reinforcements.[7]

Attack

As estimated by BBC and CBS News, 1,000 to 4,000 people[8][9] were reported to have been present at the station waiting for evacuation due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The missiles hit near the station building[7] around 10:24 (UTC+3) when the first videos of missile launch circulated on Telegram and were noticed by Ukrainian media,[10][11] approximately 20 minutes before first reports of the attack.[12] A witness and World Central Kitchen aid worker said he had heard "between five and ten explosions" during the airstrike.[13]

Reports described the scene as extremely bloody. Authorities said many people lost limbs in the explosion. The Guardian and Radio Free Europe both noted witness reports that blood and corpses were lying across the station, sprawled over the floor with their luggage.[14][15] Four cars were also destroyed during the bombing.[16]

According to early reports at least 39 people were found dead at the scene, but the minimum casualty estimate was later raised to 50 as more survivors died of their injuries in the hospital. At least five of the dead were children.[3]

The missiles used were initially identified as the 9K720 Iskander ballistic missiles,[17] with governor Pavlo Kyrylenko later stating that Tochka-U missiles armed with cluster munitions had been used in the attack.[13]

One of the rockets had the words "for children" (Russian: ЗА ДЕТЕЙ) written on it in Russian.[18] CBS News interpreted the translation as more likely having the meaning "on behalf of children" rather than suggesting an intentional motive to target children.[8] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty translated it as "for our children."[15] The BBC states that the message means "for or on behalf of the children".[19]

Response

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia as "an evil with no limits" in response to the attack.[20]

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted the bombing was "unacceptable."[15] British Ministry of Defence Secretary Ben Wallace condemned the attack as a "war crime."[21]

According to the head of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia Alexander Kamyshin: "This is a targeted blow to the passenger infrastructure of the railway and the residents of the city of Kramatorsk".[22] The Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings under Article 438 of the Criminal Code.[23]

Russia denied any involvement, asserting it was a false flag operation by Ukraine.[24]

Royal United Services Institute analyst Justin Bronk criticized Russian claims on the ground that damaging Ukrainian transport infrastructure would make it difficult for Ukrainian troops to move around.[21]

References

  1. ^ "По вокзалу Краматорска ударили ракетой с надписью «За детей». Погибли 50 человек (в том числе пять детей) Больницы не справляются с количеством раненых, заявил мэр Краматорска". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  2. ^ Tebor, Celina; Lee, Ella (8 April 2022). "'An evil without limits': Dozens killed, injured in rocket strike on train station in eastern Ukraine: Live updates". USA Today News. Gannett. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b Laizans, Janis; Piper, Elizabeth (2022-04-08). "Ukraine says 39 killed in rocket strike on rail evacuation hub". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  4. ^ "Россия ударила ракетами по вокзалу в Краматорске: все, что известно о трагедии (фото и видео)". Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  5. ^ "По вокзалу Краматорска ударили ракетой с надписью «За детей». Погибли 50 человек (в том числе пять детей) Больницы не справляются с количеством раненых, заявил мэр Краматорска". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  6. ^ Tebor, Celina; Lee, Ella (8 April 2022). "'An evil without limits': Dozens killed, injured in rocket strike on train station in eastern Ukraine: Live updates". USA Today News. Gannett. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b "'Evil that has no limits': Zelenskiy condemns Kramatorsk station attack". the Guardian. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  8. ^ a b "Ukraine says at least 39 people killed in Russian rocket attack on Kramatorsk train station". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  9. ^ "Kramatorsk: At least 1,000 at railway station when rockets hit - witness". BBC News. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  10. ^ "Политика Страны". Telegram. Retrieved 2022-04-08. В телеграм-канале «Типичный Донецк» в 10:25 появилась запись запуска двух ракет. Как сообщает сообщество, они запущены из Шахтерска (территория подконтрольная «ДНР»). Первое сообщение об ударе по Краматорскому вокзалу появилось в 10.45 (его опубликовал глава Укрзализныци).
  11. ^ "Україна 24". Telegram. Retrieved 2022-04-08. Місцеві Telegram-канали Донеччини близько 10:30 ранку опублікували момент запуску двох ракет — ймовірно, саме вони були націлені на вокзал у Краматорську. Як повідомляється, ці ракети були випущені із непідконтрольного Україні Шахтарська.
  12. ^ "По вокзалу Краматорска ударили ракетой с надписью «За детей». Погибли 50 человек (в том числе пять детей) Больницы не справляются с количеством раненых, заявил мэр Краматорска". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  13. ^ a b "Kramatorsk: At least 1,000 at railway station when rockets hit - witness". BBC News. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  14. ^ "'Evil that has no limits': Zelenskiy condemns Kramatorsk station attack". the Guardian. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  15. ^ a b c "At Least 39 Dead In Russian Rocket Attack On Ukrainian Rail Station". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  16. ^ "'Sow panic and fear': Rocket strike kills dozens in east Ukraine". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  17. ^ "About 30 people killed in Russian strike on a packed train station in eastern Ukraine". NPR. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  18. ^ "Убили ради мира. В СМИ показали фото русской ракеты, ударившей по Краматорску". Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  19. ^ "Kramatorsk station attack: What we know so far". BBC News. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "'Russia, an evil with no limits': Zelenskyy on east Ukraine rocket attack". Hindustan Times. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Strike kills 50 at Ukraine rail station crowded with people". AP NEWS. 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  22. ^ "Россия ударила ракетами по железнодорожному вокзалу Краматорска, 39 погибших, из них 4 – дети (обновлено)". Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  23. ^ "В результате обстрела Краматорска уже известно о 39 погибших, среди которых 4 детей". Archived from the original on 2022-04-08. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
  24. ^ "Russian Ministry of Defense calls Kramatorsk strike a "provocation"". CNN. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
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