Ukraine war: Zelensky calls for ‘firm global response’ after railway station attack that killed at least 50 civilians trying to flee

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a “firm global response” Friday after a missile strike killed 52 people at a railway station in eastern Ukraine where civilians had gathered to flee a feared Russian offensive.

“This is another Russian war crime for which everyone involved will be held accountable,” Zelensky said in a video message, referring to Friday’s missile strike, whose victims included five children. “World powers have already condemned Russia’s attack on Kramatorsk. We expect a firm global response to this war crime,” he said.

At least 52 people were killed, the regional government said. Zelensky reported 300 wounded, saying the strike showed “evil with no limits”.

The Ukrainian president said the bombing had been reported in Russia before the missiles had even landed and called for more weaponry to counter Moscow’s aggression. “I am sure that the victory of Ukraine is just a matter of time, and I will do everything to reduce this time,” he added.

Journalists saw the bodies of at least 30 people under plastic sheets next to the station. Body parts, packed bags and stuffed animals were flung across the floor.

On the station forecourt, the remains of a missile were still visible. It was tagged in white paint with the words “for our children” in Russian, an expression frequently used by pro-Russian separatists in reference to their losses since the start of the first Donbas war in 2014.

“I was in the station. I heard, like, a double explosion. I rushed to the wall for protection,” said Natalia, searching for her passport among the abandoned belongings. Another woman in a state of shock told AFP: “I saw people covered in blood entering the station and bodies everywhere on the ground.”