One dead and 15 injured in Russian strikes on Kramatorsk housing block

On the night of August 13-14, 2026, Kramatorsk, a city in eastern Ukraine, experienced a devastating strike by Russian forces that resulted in significant destruction and casualties. Flames engulfed a housing block after a guided aerial bomb hit the building directly, causing extensive damage. Video footage captured by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service showed fire crews working tirelessly to extinguish the blaze that had spread through multiple stories of the residential structure. A resident recounted the chaos, expressing uncertainty about the fate of their apartment while noting that a neighboring unit was buried under rubble.

The attack was part of a series of eight strikes that also affected the nearby village of Bilenke. Vadym Filashkin, the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, reported that one individual was killed and 15 others sustained injuries due to these assaults. In response to the escalating violence, Filashkin urged residents of the Donetsk region to evacuate to safer areas within Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by Russian military actions.

Kramatorsk, located less than 20 kilometers from the front line, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks since the onset of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The situation has worsened in recent months, with a notable increase in the number of Russian drones operating over Kramatorsk and the nearby city of Slovyansk. This surge in aerial activity coincides with the slow advancement of Russian ground forces in the region, raising concerns about the safety of civilians.

In a separate incident, a Russian drone strike in Sumy, northern Ukraine, resulted in the tragic deaths of a 29-year-old woman and her 9-year-old son. The attack also left four others injured, including the boy's father and grandmother, who are currently hospitalized with severe burns. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that a total of 112 strike drones were deployed in attacks across Ukraine, with 90 of them being intercepted. Ukrainian forces have also retaliated by targeting locations in Russia, including a fire at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, a critical hub for oil exports that supports the Kremlin's military efforts.