Ukraine: Missile strikes evacuation hub, kills dozens

About 4,000 people were in the train station in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, on Friday when a missile struck, killing at least 50 and injuring around 100 more, Ukrainian authorities said. Officials warned residents in the eastern Donbas region, which includes Kramatorsk, to leave before an expected full-scale invasion. The Russian Defense Ministry denied the attack, but Ukrainian leaders said no one else would have a reason to target the station, which was part of a civilian evacuation route. The missile had “for children” written in Russian on it, a message some interpreted to mean “for our children,” a slogan of revenge. A team of experts will travel to Ukraine early next week to identify and document bodies to help war crimes investigations.

What is Russia doing now? Russia has shifted its focus from the capital city of Kyiv to the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine where Moscow-backed rebels have been fighting for control for eight years. A senior U.S. official said Russia has appointed Gen. Alexander Dvornikov, who led Russian forces deployed to Syria in 2015, to lead the invasion. Russian forces shelled the Russian-controlled Kharkiv on Sunday and sent reinforcements toward Izyum. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted Russia has suffered significant military losses and announced 1,351 casualties as of March 25. NATO estimates the real number may be between 7,000 and 15,000 in the first four weeks.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s latest coverage of the ongoing war.