Camilla Jessen
Russia and Ukraine exchanged strikes on railway infrastructure, stopping the movement of almost 50 trains.
Drone attacks on rail infrastructure in both Ukraine and Russia overnight caused widespread delays and injuries, halting dozens of passenger trains.
This was reported by The Moscow Times.
Drone Strikes Hit Rail Networks
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated further on the night of September 3, as both countries targeted each other’s railway infrastructure with drones.
These attacks crippled train movement and affecting passengers on both sides of the front line.
Kirovohrad and Rostov Affected
According to Ukrzaliznytsia, the Ukrainian state railway operator, Russian drones struck the Kirovohrad region, damaging vital infrastructure.
The attack disrupted the movement of 22 passenger trains.
Later updates confirmed that four railway workers were injured and had to be hospitalized.
“Railway workers are doing everything possible to restore the damaged infrastructure… and reduce the time of train delays,” Ukrzaliznytsia said.
Ukraine Hits Back at Rostov Rail Station
In a simultaneous retaliatory strike, Ukrainian drones hit the Rostov region of Russia.
The Russian Railways company reported that debris from a downed drone damaged the contact network near Kuteynikovo station on the Rossosh–Likhaya rail section.
This led to a complete halt of 26 passenger trains, with delays extending over four hours by 6 a.m. Moscow time.
Unexploded Bomb on Station Roof
Adding to the chaos, acting governor Yuri Slyusar confirmed that an unexploded ordnance had landed on the roof of the Kuteynikovo station building, prompting emergency evacuations of passengers and staff.
No casualties were reported.
Rail Infrastructure Under Fire
Since late July, Ukraine has intensified its focus on rail targets inside Russia, consistently disrupting train traffic across Rostov, Voronezh, and Volgograd regions.
Recent Major Attacks
Some of the major recent incidents include:
- On August 28, the Volgograd region was hit. Petrov Val station was targeted by Ukrainian drones. Four trains were delayed.
- On August 23, the Rostov and Volgograd regions were targeted. Petrov Val was struck again, causing 13 train delays. Sergeyevka station was also hit, affecting 46 trains.
- On August 21, the Voronezh region was hit. Zhuravka and Raynovskaya stations were attacked. Nineteen southbound trains were stopped.
Strategic Disruption on Both Sides
The latest wave of drone attacks marks a growing trend in the use of targeted infrastructure strikes in the ongoing war.
Rail networks, crucial for both military logistics and civilian transport, are increasingly being used as pressure points in the conflict.
