NIAMEY/KYIV — A Ukrainian soldier travelling on a long-distance passenger service has recounted how he helped rush civilians to safety after Russian drones struck a train in Kharkiv Oblast, an attack Ukrainian officials say killed five people and injured at least two.
The strike hit a passenger train running from Chop, near Ukraine’s western borders, toward Barvinkove in the east, according to Ukrainian prosecutors and the state rail operator. Investigators said one drone struck the train directly while two more detonated nearby, setting carriages alight on a snow-covered stretch of track.
The serviceman, known by the call-sign “Omar” and identified as a member of Ukraine’s 93rd Brigade, said the first drone landed close to the train and forced it to halt, before another blast shattered parts of a carriage. He described passengers diving to the floor in panic and said he urged people to evacuate quickly, warning the stationary train could be targeted again. (His account was reported by BBC News in an interview carried by syndication partners.)
Ukrainian authorities said 291 passengers were on board and that 18 people were in the carriage that took the direct hit. Two people were hospitalised, while evacuations continued using reserve buses.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “terrorism”, arguing there could be no military justification for striking a civilian train.
The incident underscores Ukraine’s heavy reliance on rail travel nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. With civilian airspace closed, trains remain a key artery for both domestic movement and cross-border travel. Ukraine’s working rail network totals close to 22,000km, according to Ukrzaliznytsia.
Ukrainian officials and international observers have warned that Russia has intensified pressure on railway infrastructure and rolling stock, a campaign that threatens a system that is both an economic lifeline and a symbol of wartime resilience.
In response to the latest strike, Ukrzaliznytsia announced additional security restrictions in parts of Kharkiv region, including temporary route limitations and potential unscheduled stops, advising passengers to expect delays as safety measures tighten.
