Kramatorsk railway station attack

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Kramatorsk railway bombing
Part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive
Missile debris with inscription on it 'за детей' - 'in support of children'[1]
Location	Kramatorsk railway station, Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates	48°43′33.58″N 37°32′35.24″E / 48.7259944°N 37.5431222°E / 48.7259944; 37.5431222
Date	April 8, 2022 ~10:24[2] (UTC+3)
Weapons	Tochka-U ballistic missiles, cluster munitions (per Ukraine)
Deaths	50+
Injured	87–400[3]
Perpetrators	Russian Armed Forces (denied by Russia)

The attack on Kramatorsk railway station in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, took place on April 8, 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to reports, at least 50 people were killed^[4][5][6] and 87 to 300 people were injured.^[7] The attack was attributed by Ukrainian authorities to Russian forces, which Russia denied.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces allied with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics led an offensive to make the republics gain full control of 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.^[8]

As estimated by BBC and CBS News, 1,000 to 4,000 people^[9][10] 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^[8] around 10:24 (UTC+3) when the first videos of missile launch circulated on Telegram and were noticed by Ukrainian media,^[11][12] approximately 20 minutes before first reports of the attack.^[13] A witness and World Central Kitchen aid worker said he had heard "between five and ten explosions" during the airstrike.^[14]

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.^[15][16] Four cars were also destroyed during the bombing.^[17]

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.^[4]

The missiles used were initially identified as the 9K720 Iskander ballistic missiles,^[18] with governor Pavlo Kyrylenko later stating that Tochka-U missiles armed with cluster munitions had been used in the attack.^[14] Although Russia officially denies the use of Tochka-U missiles by their military,^[19] this weapons system has been documented by the Belarusian Hajun Project during numerous Russian military movements throughout Belarus in March 2022. ^{[20] [21] [22]}

One of the rockets had the words "for children" (Template:Lang-ru) written on it in Russian.^[23] CBS News interpreted the translation as more likely having the meaning "on behalf of children" rather than suggesting an intentional motive to target children.^[9] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty translated it as "for our children."^[16] The BBC states that the message means "for or on behalf of the children".^[24] One day before the missile attack, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said after meeting NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, "You don't understand how it feels that Russian soldier rape children."^[25]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia as "an evil with no limits" in response to the attack.^[26]

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted the bombing was "unacceptable."^[16] British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace condemned the attack as a war crime.^[27]

According to the chairman of Ukrainian Railways, Oleksandr Kamyshin: "This is a targeted blow to the passenger infrastructure of the railway and the residents of the city of Kramatorsk".^[28] The Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings under Article 438 of the Criminal Code.^[29]

Russia denied any involvement, asserting it was a false flag operation by Ukraine.^[30] Pro Russian media outlets and several Telegram channels reported earlier in the day that Russia had launched a successful missile attack on "Ukrainian forces" at the Kramatorsk station. When it became apparent that the attack killed a large number of civilians instead, the announcements were allegedly removed, and Russia started calling the attack a hoax.^[31]

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.^[27]

• Missile, which landed behind the railway station, which is seen in the background.
  Missile, which landed behind the railway station, which is seen in the background.
• File:Kramatorsk railway bombing 2022 April 8 (5).jpg
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• File:Kramatorsk railway bombing 2022 April 8 (8).jpg
• File:Kramatorsk railway bombing 2022 April 8 (6).jpg
• File:Kramatorsk railway bombing 2022 April 8 (7).jpg
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  Remains of a dog and bloodstained objects in the aftermath of the attack.
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