Russian strikes on 'Ukrzaliznytsia'
The Ukrainian railway is constantly under fire from Russia. Locomotives and drivers are caught in the crossfire. This information was released by Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure, in a comment to The Guardian.
According to Kuleba, the occupiers have changed their tactics and are now attacking trains and their crews. The number of attacks has doubled since July, indicating an intensification of the situation.
It is estimated that since the beginning of 2025, Russia has already made over 800 strikes on 'Ukrzaliznytsia' facilities, causing damage to more than 3000 transport hubs and inflicting losses of over $1 billion.
Kuleba separately mentions that Russian drones actively attack locomotives, directing fire at the drivers in order to hinder train movement.
Strategic goals of Moscow
The Deputy Prime Minister explained what strategic goals Russia pursues by attacking Ukraine's railway infrastructure:
- In the South - blocking routes for transporting goods to seaports.
- At the border - destroying connections in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
- In the East - destroying the industry in the Donbas that relies on rail transport.
The new tactics of the militants can be seen in the example of the attack on the railway station in Lozova in Kharkiv region. A witness says she woke up from an explosion in the middle of the night and saw the shelling of trains at the station.
After the attack on Lozova station, the tracks were quickly restored, but the losses on locomotives are irreversible. Russia's goal is to fulfill its tasks to weaken Ukraine's defense capabilities.
Currently, Russian strikes on 'Ukrzaliznytsia' are becoming increasingly intense, threatening not only infrastructure but also ordinary workers and passengers. Russia is conducting targeted attacks on trains and stations, trying to inflict as much damage as possible on the Ukrainian railway to undermine the economy and defense capabilities of the country.