Kanal13

Ukraine and Russia have started a railway war; both countries escalate attacks

Duration: 3:15 412 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

Russia and Ukraine are engaged in an escalating conflict specifically targeting railway infrastructure, though their strategic objectives differ significantly. According to analyst Clement Mullen, Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukrainian trains and facilities, conducting 36 strikes in August alone. These assaults frequently employ Shahed drones against civilian locomotives, with the Dnipro-Zaporizhzhia route suffering such severe disruption that civilian train services were completely halted. The aggression has also spread to the Odessa region, where multiple strikes on passenger trains and critical rail infrastructure have been recorded, alongside attacks on military targets in areas like Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv. In contrast to Russia's focus on disrupting logistics, Ukraine primarily directs its efforts toward destroying Russian military convoys, including fuel trains and tank cars used by the aggressor. This asymmetry has led to a situation where Russian troop movements in southern occupied territories have been effectively severed following the destruction of key bridges. Despite the high stakes, there have been instances where civilian safety was preserved; for example, a passenger train carrying nearly 600 people, including children, was struck by a kamikaze drone targeting its locomotive, yet no injuries occurred as passengers and staff were successfully evacuated with the help of emergency services before reaching their destination in Odessa. The scale of this destruction is unprecedented, with Russia attacking Ukraine's railway network nearly 1,200 times in 2025, a figure that surpasses the combined total of attacks from 2023 and 2024. These relentless strikes have impacted approximately 17,300 railway facilities and rolling stock units since the start of the full-scale invasion, resulting in 7,300 damaged items and 9,900 destroyed ones. The human cost is equally severe, as nearly 40 railway workers have lost their lives while on duty since 2022. Furthermore, the targeting of infrastructure that transports foreign military aid has increasingly resulted in casualties among civilians riding passenger trains, highlighting the growing danger to non-combatants amidst this war of attrition on the rails.

Read the full video transcript

Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate attacks on railway infrastructure, but the nature of their targets differs significantly. Austin researcher Clement Mullen explains this in his new analysis. According to him, in August alone, Russian forces carried out 36 strikes on various trains and railway facilities in Ukraine. In particular, Russia repeatedly used Geran for jet-powered UAVs against civilian trains. Ukrainian locomotives became the main target of Russian forces. In July, attacks on them on the Dnipro-Zaporizhzhia route led to the cessation of civilian train service on this route. Mullen notes that Russia is currently attempting to disrupt rail service in the Odessa region. Six strikes on civilian trains were recorded there in August, as well as several attacks on rail infrastructure. Civilian trains were also hit in other regions, while military trains were also hit in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions. One of the recent targets in Kyiv was a locomotive depot in the eastern part of the city. According to the analyst, Ukraine is primarily targeting the aggressor country's military convoys, particularly fuel trains and tank cars. Mullen also noted that after the destruction of several bridges, rail service for Russian troops in the southern occupied territories >> [music] >> has been effectively cut off. Media previously reported that Russia struck a passenger train carrying 600 passengers. A train stopped on the line was attacked by a Shahed kamikaze drone. The strike hit the train's locomotive. Although the flight was carrying nearly 600 passengers, including 15 children, there were no injuries. During the air raid alarm, both passengers and staff were evacuated, ensuring everyone was safe and [music] sound. The regional administration, together with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, helped transport passengers from the attacked train to their destination, Odessa. Russia attacked Ukraine's railway infrastructure nearly 1,200 times in 2025, >> [music] >> more than in 2024 and 2023 combined. Oleh Yakovenko, the strategy and transformation department's director at Ukrainian Railways, said. The statement comes as Russia increasingly targets Ukraine's railway infrastructure, which transports foreign military aid and other cargo. Russian strikes have also increasingly hit passenger [music] trains, resulting in repeated civilian casualties. Nearly 17,300 railway infrastructure facilities and pieces of rolling stock have been affected, including 7,300 damaged and 9,900 destroyed since the start of the full-scale war. >> [music] >> Yakovenko said at the eighth international conference, "Railways of Ukraine: Development and Investment." 40 railway workers have been killed while on duty since 2022, Yakovenko said.