A Russian drone attack on a civilian passenger train in north-eastern Ukraine has left at least five people dead, Ukrainian prosecutors said on Tuesday, after the strike hit a railway line in the Kharkiv region. The train, travelling from the western town of Chop toward Barvinkove, was carrying more than 200 passengers when at least one drone struck a carriage, setting parts of the train ablaze along a snow-covered track.
President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the attack as terrorism, saying there was no possible military justification for targeting a civilian train. Writing on Telegram, he said such strikes directly undermine diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end and weaken the work of international partners seeking a negotiated solution. Ukrainian officials said three drones were involved in the attack, with additional strikes hitting areas close to the train as passengers scrambled to escape.
Despite the growing risks, Ukraine's national rail operator vowed to keep services running. Rail chief Oleksandr Pertsovskyi praised rescue teams and passengers who helped evacuate those onboard, while acknowledging that operating under constant threat is becoming increasingly difficult. The strike came amid a broader wave of Russian drone attacks across the country, including a barrage on the southern port city of Odesa that killed three people and wounded dozens more, underscoring the continuing toll of the war on civilian life.
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