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Russian Strike on Kharkiv Hits Children’s Railway, Kills Newly Appointed Director

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Ivan_khomenko
Ivan Khomenko
AUTHOR
Russian Strike on Kharkiv Hits Children’s Railway, Kills Newly Appointed Director
A Ukrainian police officer assists a wounded civilian outside the Children’s Railway station in Kharkiv after the Russian strike. (Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

On June 7, a Russian airstrike struck Kharkiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district for the second time in one day, targeting civilian infrastructure including the city’s children’s railway. According to Ukrainian officials, the attack resulted in at least one fatality and multiple injuries.

The strike damaged the premises of the Kharkiv Small Southern Railway, commonly referred to as the city’s children’s railway.

According to Ukrzaliznytsia’s chief, the director of the facility — a young railway worker appointed just two weeks earlier — was killed in the strike. Four other employees were injured and remain hospitalized.

Interior of the Children’s Railway in Kharkiv damaged by a Russian airstrike. (Source: Kharkiv Regional Military Administration)
Interior of the Children’s Railway in Kharkiv damaged by a Russian airstrike. (Source: Kharkiv Regional Military Administration)

“The strike occurred near the production buildings and depot of the children’s railway. Fortunately, due to ongoing security concerns, the facility had not reopened for the season, so no children or visitors were present at the time,” Pertsovskyi stated.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and regional governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the attack was carried out using guided aerial bombs. According to Syniehubov, a private residential building in the city’s Kyivskyi district was also damaged in a separate strike.

In total, 18 people were injured, including a 14-year-old boy. Three of the wounded are reported to be in serious condition, local authorities said.

The Kharkiv Small Southern Railway is a youth educational institution affiliated with Ukrzaliznytsia.

Entrance hall of the Kharkiv Children’s Railway shows extensive interior damage following the June 7 airstrike. (Source: Kharkiv Regional Military Administration)
Entrance hall of the Kharkiv Children’s Railway shows extensive interior damage following the June 7 airstrike. (Source: Kharkiv Regional Military Administration)

It serves as a training ground for students interested in rail operations, offering hands-on experience in managing trains, maintaining tracks, and learning railway communication systems. The railway operates seasonally and is not used for regular public transport.

Earlier, Russia launched its most intense airstrike on Kharkiv since the start of the full-scale invasion, using 53 drones, four guided bombs, and a missile. Strikes hit multiple districts, damaging residential buildings, industrial facilities, and an educational institution. Fires engulfed over 10,000 square meters, and more than 30 buildings were affected.

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