A drone attack carried out by Russia on a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine resulted in the deaths of five individuals, as confirmed by prosecutors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as an act of terrorism. The strike took place near a village in the Kharkiv region, where fragments of five bodies were discovered. The train was traveling from Chop, near Ukraine’s western borders with Hungary and Slovakia, to the town of Barvinkove. Images shared online depicted at least two carriages engulfed in flames beside a snow-covered railbed.
Zelenskyy, in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, emphasized that targeting a civilian train with drones is unequivocally an act of terrorism with no military justification. He stressed the importance of protecting lives and urged for international pressure on Russia in response to such actions. Prosecutors reported that one drone hit the train, while two others struck an adjacent area. Zelenskyy mentioned that among the more than 200 passengers on board, four individuals lost their lives, including 18 individuals in the impacted carriage.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba labeled the three-drone attack as a direct act of Russian terrorism. Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, CEO of Ukrzaliznytsia, expressed gratitude to rescue teams and passengers for their assistance and assured that train operations would continue with additional security measures in place.
Furthermore, Russian drones targeted the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, resulting in three fatalities and 25 injuries according to officials. The assault is part of Moscow’s ongoing winter campaign aimed at Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy criticized the attack on Odesa as brutal and disruptive to diplomatic efforts towards peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
The assault led to significant damage to residential buildings, a church, a kindergarten, and a high school in Odesa. Governor Oleh Kiper stated that two children and a pregnant woman were among the injured. Additionally, an energy facility in the city suffered extensive destruction. Odesa, located on the Black Sea coast, has faced escalating attacks in recent times.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that 40% of households were without electricity following a combined drone and missile attack. Ukrainian air defenses neutralized a significant number of the 165 drones launched by Russian troops overnight. Zelenskyy expressed concerns about the impact of such strikes on ongoing diplomatic efforts and called for international pressure on Moscow for lasting peace in the region.
Amidst the escalating tensions, discussions are scheduled between Russian and Ukrainian officials facilitated by the U.S. Zelenskyy urged allies to intensify pressure on Russia and emphasized the need for strong security assurances to prevent future hostilities. Ukraine seeks guarantees, particularly from the U.S., to safeguard against potential Russian aggression post any peace agreement.