A passenger train in northeastern Ukraine was targeted by a Russian drone strike, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, according to prosecutors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as an act of terrorism. The strike took place near a village in the Kharkiv region, where fragments of the victims’ bodies were discovered.
The train was en route from Chop, near Ukraine’s western borders with Hungary and Slovakia, to the town of Barvinkove. Images shared online depicted at least two train carriages engulfed in flames next to a snow-covered railway track. Zelenskyy emphasized the civilian nature of the attack, labeling it as an act of terrorism with no military justification.
Reports indicated that one drone targeted the train while two others struck an area adjacent to it. Zelenskyy stated that over 200 passengers were onboard, with 18 individuals in the affected carriage. The incident was described by Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba as a direct act of Russian terror.
In a separate incident, Russian drones conducted strikes on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, resulting in three fatalities and 25 injuries. This attack was part of Moscow’s ongoing winter offensive on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy criticized the assault as detrimental to diplomatic efforts and destabilizing to peace negotiations.
Governor Oleh Kiper of Odesa reported that the strikes caused damage to numerous residential buildings, a church, a kindergarten, and a high school. The city also witnessed significant destruction at an energy facility. The escalation of attacks in Odesa has heightened tensions amid negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian representatives.
Meanwhile, in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov disclosed that 40% of households were without electricity following a combined drone and missile attack. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly neutralized a significant number of Russian drones deployed during the assault.
Zelenskyy called on international allies to intensify pressure on Moscow to facilitate a peaceful resolution. Ukraine seeks robust security assurances, especially from the United States, to prevent future Russian aggression in the event of a peace agreement. Talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials, mediated by the U.S., are set to resume following recent discussions in Abu Dhabi.