“This is not a repeat of history; this is the daily reality of our country,” Mr Zelensky said in a statement after the attack late Wednesday.
Kramatorsk has been the target of frequent rocket attacks by Russian forces since the war began in February, but strikes in the city center have intensified in recent weeks as Russian forces launch an expected offensive that will take the entire Donbass region of Ukraine. The city, a sprawling industrial center that was home to some 200,000 people before the war, poses a serious obstacle to Russian control of the region.
Kramatorsk is also just 20 miles northwest of a more immediate Russian target, the smaller town of Bakhmut, and is vital to Ukraine’s efforts to resupply its forces holding Bakhmut. Kremlin forces have been fighting for months to capture Bakhmut, at a heavy cost in Russian casualties, and its fall would be Moscow’s first significant military victory since the summer.
Both sides, whose forces have been slowed by winter conditions, are expected to attempt major offensives in the coming weeks. But Mr Zelensky said increasing artillery strikes in the east, combined with a large Russian troop buildup in occupied parts of eastern Ukraine, suggest the Russians could start one now.
Speaking to Ukrainians on Thursday night, Mr Zelensky expressed confidence his country would be victorious – but acknowledged the Russians could still inflict pain.
“Tactically,” he said, “they still have the means to attempt offensive action. They are looking for options to change the course of the war and are trying to harness the potential of all areas they still control to the service of aggression.”
Michael Schwartz reports from Kramatorsk, Ukraine, and Anton Trojanowski from Berlin. Reporting was contributed by Eric Nagourney, Markus Santora, Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Shashank Bengali And Erin Mendell.
