- By Mayeni Jones & James Gregory
- in Kiev and London
Watch: Shock and destruction after Russian missiles hit restaurants
Eight people were killed, including three children, when Russian missiles hit the center of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine.
A restaurant and shopping area were hit by the strike on Tuesday in the city, which is under Ukrainian control but close to Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.
Rescuers continue to search for people trapped under the debris.
At least 56 others were injured in the strike, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.
An eyewitness told the BBC he saw “dead bodies, people screaming, people crying, a lot of chaos”.
A 17-year-old girl was reported to be among those killed in the attack, which happened around 19:30 local time (16:30 GMT).
There were also apartment buildings at the epicenter of the blast, officials said.
Social media and drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to the buildings, some of which had been reduced to rubble.
Belgian freelance journalist Arnaud De Decker told the BBC Newshour that he was at the popular Ria Lounge restaurant just minutes before it was hit.
“There are still people under the rubble because this is a big restaurant,” he said.
“Now I can hear people screaming under the rubble as rescuers try to save them.”
He estimated that up to 80 staff and customers were on the premises of the restaurant during the strike, thus fearing that the number of casualties could be “extreme”.
Officials said at least 40 people were injured, including an eight-month-old baby and three foreigners.
A rescue operation is currently underway in the city center, with security agencies assisting emergency services at the scene and evacuating victims.
Local authorities said the area had a high concentration of civilians when the missiles hit.
“This is the center of the town. These are public dining areas full of civilians,” regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian television.
Mr De Decker described the restaurant as a local “gathering hub” which was also popular with soldiers, journalists and volunteers.
Russian forces also targeted a nearby village, the Kramatorsk city council said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack proved to Ukraine and the world that Russia deserves “only defeat and a tribunal, fair and legal courts against all murderers and terrorists in Russia “.
The White House condemned Russia for its “brutal strikes” in Ukraine.
Kramatorsk has been regularly targeted by missiles since the start of the invasion in February 2022.
The city of 150,000 people is one of the largest still under Ukrainian control in the besieged east. It is located about 30km (18 miles) from the frontline.
This latest attack comes as Mr Zelensky said Ukraine’s counter-offensive was progressing on all fronts.
