Fear and Disruption for Ukraine's Rail Passengers as Russia Escalates Drone Attacks
BBC News reports on the increasing disruptions faced by Ukrainian rail passengers due to Russian drone attacks.
Ukraine's railways have been vital in keeping the country running since the 2022 invasion, but strikes on locomotives have intensified this year. According to state-owned operator Ukrzaliznytsia, over half of all strikes since the war began have occurred in 2023.
Yuliia Ponomarenko, a marketing specialist from Kharkiv, shares her experience:
"The border guards started running around and shouting 'Run! Get out of the carriages! There's shelling!'... We were really lucky that we were delayed a little."
She was on a train to Warsaw when a drone strike occurred nearby. Similarly, Anastasiia Ryvbalchenko has faced multiple evacuations during her journeys, including one where a drone struck nearby while she waited in the dark with fellow passengers.
"I'm not going to travel by train anymore," she says.
Since late 2022, Ukrainian passenger trains have become frequent targets of Russian drones, leading to routine evacuations and lengthy delays. Passengers are now accustomed to:
- Leaving trains: Scrolling Telegram channels for updates on drone and missile launches.
- Sending warnings: Informing friends and family about train delays.
The widespread attacks seem part of a broader Russian assault on Ukraine's infrastructure, including bridge attacks and strikes on metro trains.