Approximately 30 individuals sustained injuries in a severe drone attack on a passenger train at a Ukrainian railway station, characterized as a deliberate act of terror.
Video footage captured the moment of the attack, revealing the chaos of a damaged engine and burning carriage at Shostka station. Immediate efforts were made to rescue the wounded and provide medical aid.
Oleksandr Pertsovsky, the leader of Ukraine’s railways, disclosed on Facebook that two trains were targeted, resulting in injuries to three children and a staff member. Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Oleksiy Kuleba, stated that Russia struck two passenger trains consecutively, first hitting a local service and then one bound for Kyiv, with the second strike occurring during an evacuation.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the drone strike as an egregious assault on civilians, urging global action in response. He stated, “A brutal Russian drone attack on the railway station in Shostka, Sumy region.”
“Emergency services are actively assisting the victims on the scene, with details on the injured being established. Currently, at least 30 individuals have been reported as victims, including both Ukrzaliznytsia personnel and passengers present during the attack,” Zelensky emphasized.
Zelensky emphasized the necessity for strong actions against Russia’s targeting of civilians, calling for tangible measures beyond mere statements from Europe and America.
Reports indicated that around 30 people were wounded on the train from Shostka to Kyiv, a region that has endured bombardment for months. Efforts by medical personnel and rescuers were ongoing at the site, according to regional governor Oleh Hryhorov.
Zelenskyy and Gov. Oleh Hryhorov shared images from the scene depicting a passenger carriage engulfed in flames. The drone strikes also disrupted the power supply to Shostka and surrounding areas, impacting approximately 70,000 residents prior to the conflict.
Following the attacks, Oksana Tarasiuk of the local district administration confirmed no fatalities immediately after the incident, denouncing the strikes as an attempt to disrupt communication with frontline communities. Zelensky’s aide, Andriy Yermak, accused Russia of waging a war against civilians by purposefully targeting the station and train.
Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, criticized Russia’s tactics, highlighting the danger of subsequent strikes on rescuers and evacuees. Moscow’s intensified airstrikes on Ukraine’s railway network in recent months have been part of a broader campaign targeting critical infrastructure, including the power grid, in what Kyiv views as an attempt to exploit the approaching winter for strategic advantage.
Overnight, Russian drones and missiles inflicted further damage on Ukraine’s power grid, causing blackouts affecting thousands of households. The assault near Chernihiv, close to the Russian border, marked a significant escalation in attacks on energy facilities, amplifying the strain on Ukraine’s infrastructure.
Prior to this, Russia launched a substantial assault on natural gas facilities operated by Ukraine’s Naftogaz Group, aiming to destabilize the power grid and undermine public support for the conflict. The relentless attacks underscore Moscow’s aggressive tactics as the conflict continues to escalate.
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