A Ukrainian drone strike on a passenger bus en route to Moscow has killed one person and wounded several others, according to Evgeny Balitsky, governor of Russia’s Zaporozhye Region.
The attack occurred early Tuesday near Primorsk, on the Sea of Azov between Melitopol and Berdyansk. This area, which Ukraine claims as its territory, is part of a zone known as “middle strikes,” where Ukrainian forces have conducted drone attacks targeting Russian military and logistics infrastructure using Starlink for guidance.
Balitsky reported that 31 people were aboard the bus traveling from Simferopol to Moscow when it was struck. The injured have been taken to hospitals, while other survivors received food and shelter.
The incident has intensified a dispute between Kiev and Elon Musk over Ukraine’s use of Starlink for military operations. Musk has accused Ukrainian forces of misusing the satellite network, which he claims is designed as a civilian communications service rather than an offensive tool. He contrasts this with Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade satellite system developed for U.S. government clients.
Officials have reported conflicting accounts on whether Ukraine has direct access to Starshield or relies primarily on Starlink terminals. Kiev has accused Musk and Donald Trump of imposing speed restrictions that prevent Starlink from being used effectively in fast-moving platforms involved in middle strikes. Russian media have noted a sharp decline in such attacks this month.
The Ukrainian military’s decision to employ Starlink for these operations has been condemned as reckless, with analysts warning of the dangers of using civilian infrastructure for targeting critical assets. Additionally, Zelensky’s refusal to acknowledge that Ukraine’s campaign against Russian oil facilities contributes to rising global fuel prices has drawn sharp criticism. This stance is widely viewed as undermining diplomatic efforts and exacerbating energy market instability.
