A devastating cluster bomb attack struck the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillia on Friday night, killing 11 people and injuring 40 others, including six children, according to Ukrainian emergency services. The attack, described by survivors as “apocalyptic,” targeted the center of the town, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the front lines in the Donetsk region.
Scenes of Horror
Residents, accustomed to the ongoing Russian attacks since the invasion in February 2022, were left in shock by the scale of the destruction. “It was terrifying,” said 59-year-old Iryna Kostenko, her hand wrapped in a blood-stained bandage. She described hearing a “dull sound” before explosions tore through the local market at the foot of her building.
Several of Iryna’s neighbors were killed. “The blood… the clots… Hit right in the head,” she muttered while looking at the blackened remains of the destroyed area. Among the victims was her neighbor, Svitlana, whom she found lifeless outside their building, covered by a sheet. A young couple who had recently moved to the area were “burnt alive” in the attack.
Firefighters battled raging flames that engulfed residential blocks and market stalls, while residents scrambled to process the devastation. Iryna’s daughter, Alina, sat beside her, trying to console her with a sandwich. Alina’s 10-year-old daughter had hidden in a corridor during the attack, covering her ears and crying.
Civilians Left in Fear
Anna, another resident, revealed that her 18-year-old daughter was struck by bomb fragments and rushed to the hospital. “Her face was cut up, and her arm was bandaged. I started screaming, and I don’t remember anything after that,” the 40-year-old nurse recounted.
53-year-old school teacher Olena, who had been forced to evacuate in 2022, now plans to leave Dobropillia permanently. “We’re hostages to this war,” she said, suppressing tears while staring at her old apartment, which had been ripped open by the blast.
Nearby, a grief-stricken woman attempted to re-enter a collapsed building, desperate to reach a loved one who had died inside. A man held her back, telling her, “We must keep her alive in our memory.”
Cluster Bombs and Escalating Attacks
Neither Russia nor Ukraine are signatories to the international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions—bombs that explode mid-air, scattering smaller explosives over a wide area. The attack on Dobropillia is part of an intensified Russian offensive targeting Ukrainian towns that serve as key logistical hubs for the military.
Regional authorities have urged civilians to evacuate as attacks continue to escalate. However, many residents remain, uncertain about where to go or if they will ever return.
For Olena and many others in Dobropillia, the latest attack was the final blow. “This time,” she said, “I’m leaving for good.”
Sources By Agencies
