On the morning of August 20, 2026, Russian forces launched a series of strikes on two major cities in the Donetsk region — Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. According to Vadym Filashkin, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, as published in Telegram and reported by RBC-Ukraine, at least 10 people were injured as a result of the attacks. Both cities recorded hits on civilian objects and infrastructure, with emergency services currently operating at the scenes.
Timeline of morning attacks
The first recorded strike hit Slavyansk: at 08:20 local time, the city was attacked by drones. One of the drones hit a store in a residential district, after which a severe fire broke out in the building. Preliminary data indicates that three people were injured. In Kramatorsk, the series of attacks started later — from 10:50, and according to regional administration data, the city was subjected to nine strikes in a short period. As a result, seven more people were injured.
Fire at the 'Aurora' store in Slavyansk
Photos from the scene show that fire has engulfed a commercial building with the sign 'Aurora Multimarket': flames are bursting from the windows and roof, and a thick column of black smoke is rising above the roof. The adjacent building with the sign 'Yalynky' appears undamaged externally. Fire crews are working at the scene, and fire hoses are visible approaching the site. According to local media reports, this specific object was the target of a drone strike in a residential district of Slavyansk.
Air bomb strikes on Kramatorsk
In Kramatorsk, preliminary information suggests that FAB-250 aviation bombs with UMPK guidance modules were used for the attacks. Hits were recorded on a store, an industrial enterprise, and an infrastructure object. The exact list of destruction and potential damage to critical infrastructure is being clarified; all relevant services continue to work at the locations.
Contradictory data
There is a discrepancy in the scale of losses between sources. The morning briefing for the two cities (RBC-Ukraine citing Filashkin) mentions only the injured — at least 10 people, with no mention of fatalities. However, the daily briefing for the entire Donetsk region (Ukranews) reports shelling of 11 settlements and mentions at least one fatality. These data relate to different territorial and timeframes: the first concerns the morning strikes on two cities, while the second covers daily events across the entire region. Therefore, a direct contradiction is not confirmed, but the exact total number of casualties remains uncertain at the time of publication.
Context: Night attack on Kyiv
The strikes on Slavyansk and Kramatorsk occurred against the backdrop of ongoing mass attacks. During the night of August 20, Russian forces launched a combined strike on Kyiv and the Kyiv region, using ballistic and cruise missiles as well as attack drones. According to available data, people were killed in the capital and Brovary, dozens of residents were injured, and residential buildings, warehouses, and critical infrastructure facilities were damaged.
Evacuation appeals
Authorities are urging residents of the Donetsk region to take into account the continuing danger of Russian attacks and to consider the possibility of evacuation to safer regions. Expert assessments, including analytical materials on the prospects for fighting for Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, emphasize that these cities remain in the zone of active combat and regular strikes, increasing risks for the civilian population.
