Russia Systematically Targets Ukraine’s Railways With Drone Strikes, Dozens of Trains Delayed

Russia launched a mass drone strike on Ukraine’s railway infrastructure, targeting power substations that supply the national rail network, wrote Ukrzaliznytsia head Oleksandr Pertsovskyi on Facebook on September 17.

“Another night—another complex attack on the railway. Due to power outages, there will be delays on trains heading toward Dnipro,”. He noted that trains on the Odesa route were also affected.

To keep trains moving, Ukrzaliznytsia deployed more than 20 backup diesel locomotives. Some routes were diverted around damaged sections of track while repair crews worked to restore power.

At the time of the attack, over 20 passenger trains were en route. Dispatchers halted them at safe distances while railway workers took shelter. “The most important thing—no passengers or railway workers were injured,” the company stressed.

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War in Ukraine

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Pertsovskyi added that Russia has been deliberately targeting Ukraine’s rail network since July. “Shahed drones are mass-attacking our key stations. Examples include attacks on Lozova, Synelnykove, and Koziatyn. Essentially, they strike so the hub is destroyed,” he said.

Despite repeated strikes on substations, locomotive depots, and passenger terminals, he emphasized that Ukraine’s trains keep running.

“We find ways to adjust the schedule, but we always move,” Pertsovskyi said.

Ukrainian officials underlined the purpose of these strikes. “Such attacks are aimed at complicating the transport of passengers and cargo, disrupting stable operations, and creating additional pressure on people and the economy,” said Oleksiy Kuleba, Minister of Regional Development.

By 8 a.m., 26 trains were running over an hour behind schedule. International connections with Poland were also adjusted, with transfers arranged in Chełm and Przemyśl to ensure passengers reached their destinations safely.

Earlier, Russian forces launched a targeted strike against civilian passenger trains in Ukraine. The attack damaged part of the Intercity+ high-speed train fleet, including one train that had been scheduled to operate on the Kyiv–Kharkiv route.

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