Russia attacked three passenger trains in Ukraine in a day, killing a railway worker (Updated)

Russian forces attacked passenger trains in Ukraine at least three times on Sept. 8. In the morning, a Kyiv–Sumy train came under fire; later, the Russians attacked a Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia regional train, and then struck another passenger train in Zaporizhzhia. A railway employee was killed in the last attack.

The first attack occurred on the approach to Sumy. The Ukrzaliznytsia monitoring team detected the threat in advance and halted the Kyiv–Sumy train. Passengers, the train crew, and the locomotive crew had already left the train before the strike.

Local sources reported that the train was attacked by two Shahed-type drones. The strikes caused a fire. The State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported the evacuation of 90 people. Two rescue buses and two local government buses were used to transport them onward.

Preliminary reports indicated no casualties in this attack.

Russia Attacked Dnipro-Zaporizhzhia Train

Later on Sept. 8, Russian forces carried out another attack on passenger rail transport—this time targeting the Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia regional train.

Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia, reported a direct hit on the train. Thanks to threat monitoring, the train was stopped in advance, and passengers were moved to a mobile shelter set up near the stopping point.

No passengers were injured in the attack. A fire broke out after the impact.

To continue transporting the evacuated passengers along their route, Ukrzaliznytsia, together with local authorities, arranged buses.

A Railway Worker Died in Zaporizhzhia Attack

Later, the DSNS reported another attack on a passenger train in Zaporizhzhia. A Russian drone struck the rolling stock, killing a railway employee.

Passengers had been evacuated from the train before the strike. They were moved out in advance, accompanied by Ukrzaliznytsia staff, so there were no passenger casualties.

After the first hit, a car of the electric train caught fire. About half an hour later, Russian forces attacked the rolling stock again, causing a fire in another carriage.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but due to the constant threat of repeated attacks, they had to interrupt firefighting and take shelter.

Russia systemically attacks rail infrastructure

The Sept. 8 attacks continued a series of Russian strikes on passenger rail transport and Ukrzaliznytsia infrastructure. In some cases, advance air-raid warnings allow trains to be stopped and passengers evacuated before impact.

Based on: DSNS of Ukraine, DSNS of Ukraine, Ukrzaliznytsia