Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military convoy in occupied Makiivka on Friday, using U.S.-supplied HIMARS launchers armed with cluster munitions.
The attack targeted a column of vehicles reportedly transporting Russian troops, according to Ukrainian military sources and local reports from the Donetsk region.
Reconnaissance units identified the Russian convoy prior to the strike, which consisted of military trucks and buses carrying personnel. The Armed Forces of Ukraine then launched a precision strike, reportedly causing heavy casualties.
Local sources described “a large number of dead and wounded” following the impact.
Video footage and photographs later shared by Russian servicemen on social media showed the aftermath of the attack, including a destroyed troop transport bus and several damaged vehicles.
At least one bus appeared completely burned out, with charred debris surrounding it. Nearby, additional vehicles—including military trucks—showed signs of fragmentation damage consistent with cluster munitions. The images appear to confirm that the vehicles were part of a military convoy, contradicting claims made by Russian state outlets.
Russian officials have stated that the Ukrainian strike targeted civilians. However, images and videos posted by Russian troops themselves appear to show uniformed personnel and military transports, rather than civilian infrastructure or vehicles.
The strike took place in Makiivka, an industrial city in the Donetsk region currently under Russian occupation. The city, located just east of Donetsk, has been used as a logistical hub by Russian forces throughout the full-scale invasion.
The use of HIMARS systems, provided to Ukraine by the United States, has allowed Ukrainian forces to conduct long-range strikes with precision accuracy. The addition of cluster munitions has further expanded their effectiveness against troop concentrations and vehicle columns.