At least 39 killed in Russian attack on Ukrainian railway station, authorities say

At least 39 people were killed in a Russian attack on a railway station in eastern Ukraine on Friday, authorities said.

Artem Dekhtyarenko, the spokesman for the Security Service of Ukraine, confirmed the casualties, saying four children were among those who lost their lives in the deadly attack.

Two rockets hit the railway station in Kramatorsk, a city in the Donetsk region, where scores of people were waiting to be evacuated to safer areas, according to Ukrainian Railways. 

Images shared by the authority on Telegram showed bodies and blood on the ground, with suitcases and other luggage strewn all around.

Kramatorsk Mayor Alexander Goncharenko said that most injured were in serious condition and some lost their arms and legs.

There were almost 4,000 civilians at the station at the time of the attack, according to the mayor.  

Earlier, Ukrainian Railways said more than 100 were injured in the Russian attack.

Pavel Kirilenko, governor of Donetsk, said Russian forces hit the railway station with an Iskander missile containing cluster munitions.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as "evil with no limits."

"Lacking the strength and courage to stand up to us on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population. This is an evil that has no limits. And if it is not punished, it will never stop," Zelenskyy said in a social media statement.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also condemned the attack.

"I strongly condemn this morning's indiscriminate attack against a train station in Kramatorsk by Russia, which killed dozens of people and left many more wounded. This is yet another attempt to close escape routes for those fleeing this unjustified war and cause human suffering," he said on Twitter.

Also, European Council President Charles Michel said it was "horrifying to see Russia strike one of the main stations used by civilians evacuating the region where Russia is stepping up its attack."

He added: "Action is needed: more sanctions on Russia and more weapons to Ukraine are under way from the EU. 5th package of EU sanctions just approved."

At least 1,626 civilians have been killed and 2,267 injured in Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4.3 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.