Body parts litter streets of Kramatorsk as Putin's new drones strike areas civilians cannot escape

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

Russia's latest drone campaign is leaving dismembered bodies across the streets of Kramatorsk, with residents trapped by strikes that give no warning and no safe corridor. The weapons are reportedly designed to deny escape — hitting civilians who flee as well as those who stay. The attacks mark a deadly escalation in Putin's targeting of populated urban areas in eastern Ukraine.

Kremlin drones are reportedly hitting multiple points across escape routes, making evacuation itself a death sentence for many residents.

Putin simultaneously hosted a CIS summit, pledging closer ties with ex-Soviet neighbours while his forces intensified strikes on Ukrainian civilians.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was 'outraged' that former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder attended Putin's birthday celebrations as the carnage unfolded.