<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/15/russia-targeting-trains-ukraine-rail-network-attacks>
"Ukraine has recorded a threefold increase in the number of attacks on its
railway system since July, according to a senior minister, as Moscow seeks to
scupper one of Kyiv’s key logistical systems.
Oleksii Kuleba, a deputy prime minister with responsibility for infrastructure,
said attacks on the network since the start of 2025 had caused damage totalling
$1bn (£760m).
“If you compare just the last three months, attacks have increased three times
over,” Kuleba said. “Since the beginning of the year there have been 800
attacks on railway infrastructure, and more than 3,000 railway objects have
been damaged. What we have seen in these escalating attacks is that they are
going after trains, especially trying to kill the drivers.”
In a country as large as Ukraine, the railways are critical. The rail network
carries more than 63% of the country’s freight – including grain shipments –
and 37% of passenger traffic, according to the state statistics service.
Military assistance from foreign countries often arrives by train.
No civilian airports have been in operation since Russia’s full-scale invasion,
so most people travel in and out of the country – including visiting world
leaders – by train.
“It’s not just about the quantity [of attacks], it’s also the approach of the
enemy forces,” said Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the head of the Ukrainian state
railway, Ukrzaliznytsia. “Now, as they have very precise Shahed drones, they
are targeting individual locomotives.”
Efforts to better protect the network have come into force, including equipping
trains with electronic systems to counter drone strikes and raising dedicated
air defence teams from among railway staff.
Earlier this year, the main building at the station in Lozova, in the Kharkiv
region, was badly damaged in a drone strike. Other attacks have damaged the
rails. Despite the assaults, passengers still queue for tickets and board
trains for destinations across the country."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
