At least 33 people were killed and 18 others wounded in a Russian bomb attack on Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, according to Ukrainian authorities. The strike hit a street where two city buses were operating, in one of the deadliest single attacks reported in Ukraine this year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the location as a bus stop, while regional officials said the attack struck civilians in the city, a key part of Ukraine’s defensive positions in Donetsk region.

Images released by Ukrainian police showed bodies lying across a debris-strewn street and the burned remains of what appeared to be a bus. Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin said the attack demonstrated the risks faced by civilians using public transportation in the area.

There was no immediate response from Moscow to the allegations. Russia has repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians, although Russian forces have conducted frequent missile, drone and guided-bomb attacks across Ukrainian cities since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

The latest strike comes as Russian forces intensify attacks on Kramatorsk and other cities in Donetsk’s so-called fortress belt. The area forms an important part of Ukraine’s eastern defensive line.

Following the attack, authorities ordered public transportation in Kramatorsk and nearby Sloviansk to stop operating, citing concerns over civilian safety.

The Kramatorsk strike followed a major Russian missile and drone assault across Ukraine on Wednesday that killed dozens of people and caused extensive damage to energy infrastructure. In Pryluky, a Russian missile destroyed part of a residential building, with the death toll rising to 22, including five children.

Kyiv also came under attack on Thursday. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three people were killed and 14 injured in Russian drone strikes on the capital.

The continuing attacks come as Ukraine faces growing pressure on its air-defense systems and seeks additional international support to protect civilians and critical infrastructure.