Eight dead in Russian missile attack

28-06-2023

Jakob Lindelöf

Europe and Human Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence

On June 27th a missile killed eight people and injured 56 others in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk. Rescue operations were conducted to clear the rubble of the building that was hit in order to locate survivors that were trapped under the rubble as it was reported that people could be heard screaming for help (Hunder, 2023; Jones & Gregory, 2023). 

The missile hit a restaurant in the city centre which housed a large number of civilians, thus increasing the casualties of the strike. A second missile also hit the city of Kremenchuk, which exactly one year ago saw a similar attack, killing 20 people in a shopping mall (Hunder, 2023). 

The city of Kramatorsk is located in the Donetsk region, about 30 kilometres close to the frontlines, and is therefore at risk of attacks by Russian forces. Early in the war, Kramatorsk saw a deadly attack on its train station in April 2022, that killed 63 people who were trying to flee away from the frontlines (Ukraine: Deadly Russian missile, 2023). In July 2022, a school was struck by Russian fire, killing three (Koshiw; 2022).

Incidents like this have happened throughout the war, with the intent of striking civilian targets in an attempt to intimidate and whittle down the willpower and morale of the Ukrainian people. 

These attacks come after Russian private military group Wagner’s march on Moscow and the reported recapturing of territory by Ukrainian forces. Despite these setbacks on the battlefield, Moscow still poses a threat and has the ability to cause tremendous harm to the civilian population through its artillery and rocket systems.

Sources and further readings:

Hunder, M. (2023, June 28). Russian missile hits restaurant in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk killing 

at least eight. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-missiles-hit-crowded-kramatorsk-emergency-services-site-2023-06-27/

Jones, M. & Gregory, J. (2023, June 28). Kramatorsk: Russian missiles strike hit restaurant in 

Ukrainian city. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66031342

Koshi, I. (2022, July 22). Three killed as Russian strikes destroy school in Kramatorsk, says 

report. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/22/russia-strikes-school-kramatorsky-donetsk-ukraine-reports

Ukraine: Deadly Russian missile strike hits Kramatorsk. (2023, June 27). Deutsche Welle. 

Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-deadly-russian-missile-strike-hits-kramatorsk/a-66049588