Ukrainian railway infrastructure targeted yet again

Six train stations were targeted in western and centrally located parts of Ukraine, Ukrainian Railways chief Alexander Kamyshin wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. While there were no casualties, the damage to the rail infrastructure was “significant”, Kamyshin said.

The strikes disrupted railway traffic and led to at least 14 delays. Most delays, however, were resolved within the span of a day, Kamyshin reported.

The news came after the first Russian missile attack in western Ukraine in more than a week. On April 25, railway infrastructure was targeted and five railway stations came under fire. The Ukrainian armed forces command said at the time that the attacks were attempts by the Russians to “destroy the supply routes of military-technical assistance from partner states … To do this, they focus strikes on railway junctions”.

On Monday, Kamyshin said the bridge over Dniester Liman connecting Odessa and Besserabia had come under artillerie fire for the third time in quick succession. Last weekend, Ukrainian Railways fended off distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on its servers, Kamyshin added. The Ukrainian Railways chief also shared images of damaged rolling stock in the besieged city of Mariupol, revealing extensive damage.

In more upbeat news, Hollywood actress, director and UNHCR envoy Angelina Jolie visited the Lviv train station last week to take stock of the evacuation efforts.

That’s what happens when #russians come. @Ukrzaliznytsia depot in #Mariupol. pic.twitter.com/0FWLddUpem

— Alexander Kamyshin (@AKamyshin) April 28, 2022

Further reading:

• Five Ukrainian train stations hit on Monday, one railway worker killed
• Railway sabotage after 50 days of war in Ukraine: here is what we know
• Railway infrastructure benefits from EU Military Mobility fund
• Key Russian railway bridge damaged after possible act of sabotage
• Dozens killed at Ukrainian train station after Russian missile strike
• Rail freight Finland-Russia resumes, UK sanctions don’t apply after all
• Belarusian special forces guarding railways following sabotage
• Railway connections between Belarus and Ukraine sabotaged to hinder Russian troops
• Ukrainian Railways withstands Russian onslaught but at great sacrifice
• Train carries EU leaders into Ukraine for unannounced show of support
• Belarusian railways hacked after transporting Russian troops