Death toll in Kramatorsk rises to 11 after Russian missile strike

On Tuesday, June 27, invading Russian forces launched two S-300 missiles on Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, hitting a cafe in the city center and killing 11 people

The Ukrainian State Emergency Service reported the rescuers found the body of the 11th dead person.

“As of 5:00 p.m. on June 28, the bodies of 11 people (including 3 children) have been unblocked from the rubble, 56 people (including 1 child) have been injured and 7 people have been rescued,” the statement says. 

Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, reported this

“The blast wave damaged 32 apartment buildings, including roofs and windows. Not just the glass was broken, but even the window frames were turned upside down. About a quarter to a third of the city’s population lived in these buildings. Places for resettlement and evacuation of people from the affected buildings have been provided and prepared in advance,” said Kyrylenko.

After the explosion of a Russian Iskander missile in the center of Kramatorsk, the city's utilities are inspecting the affected buildings, which may number up to 40. Materials and funds will be allocated from the material reserve to eliminate the consequences of the attack. 

The National Police of Ukraine reported that  as of June 28 at 11:30 a.m., the number of fatalities has risen to 10, including three children. In addition, 61 individuals have been injured, including an 8-month-old infant.

According to the latest information from the National Police, “Kramatorsk was struck by Iskander missiles launched by Russian troops. The victims include a 17-year-old girl and two 14-year-old sisters. The 8-month-old infan who was injured is not in life-threatening condition.”

During a telethon, Oleksandr Bakumenko, deputy head of the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office, shared that as of the morning of June 28, the death toll had reached 9 people. Currently, rescuers are working to recover bodies from the rubble, with the aim of safely removing and transporting them to medical facilities. It is worth noting that individuals, primarily employees of an institution, are still trapped under the debris. 

Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko confirmed the loss of nine lives resulting from the shelling in Kramatorsk. He shared the news on his Facebook page, mentioning that rescuers have successfully recovered the body of a young boy from the rubble.

This was announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko and the State Emergency Service.

A rescue operation is currently taking place in Kramatorsk after a missile attack by Russia.

This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

A search and rescue operation is still underway at the site of the missile strike in Kramatorsk. As of 8:30 a.m. on June 28, the number of people injured in the Russian attack increased to 60. 

"It is possible that there are still people under the rubble," the statement said.

As reported by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko and the State Emergency Service, as of 07:00 on June 28, the bodies of 8 victims were removed from the rubble of the destroyed cafe building. Among them are three children, 15 and 12 years old. 

According to the Emergence Service, 56 more people were injured, including an infant born in 2022. Three people were rescued.

Rescuers, psychologists, police paramedics, explosives experts, investigators, and forensic experts, are involved in the operation. The State Emergency Service states that rescuers are carefully searching through the rubble to find people who may still be trapped.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, the head of Donetsk regional military administration, was the first to report the shelling of Kramatorsk during a television broadcast on June 27. The city center was targeted at around 7:32 p.m., and the exact details regarding the number of casualties and extent of damage were being determined.

Kyrylenko stated, "We are still gathering information about the victims and the damage caused. An operational headquarters has been established at the scene, and all necessary assistance will be provided to those injured."

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, promptly shared the information via Telegram. He mentioned that apart from Kramatorsk, the village of Bilenke was also subjected to missile strikes.

Yermak wrote, "The Russians launched two missile strikes on Kramatorsk. The first one hit a restaurant in the city center, and the second one targeted the village of Bilenke."