Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine's rail network as six workers killed in Kyiv

Six employees of Ukraine's state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, were killed on Tuesday when a Russian ballistic missile hit a locomotive depot in Kyiv. The company said other railway facilities were also struck during a massive bombardment of the capital and surrounding region. At least 12 people died overall in the attack, with roughly a dozen wounded, including three children. Ukrzaliznytsia's chair, Oleksandr Pertsovsky, called it an "unbearably difficult night for the entire railway family," adding that rescue crews were still extinguishing fires.

The strike came as Russia entered a sixth consecutive day of intensified attacks on Kyiv, apparently aimed at disrupting daily life and demoralising residents. It hit just hours before Ukrainian children began the new school year.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 58 railway workers have been killed and at least 318 injured. A supervisory board member, Serhih Leshchenko, described the railway as the "backbone of Ukraine's economy," noting it is the main logistics provider for the military and industry, moving 600,000 people weekly, and is the country's largest employer with 170,000 staff.

Leshchenko said Russia has deliberately shifted tactics over the course of the war: first targeting bridges, then rails and power substations, and this year directly attacking civilian locomotives — a tactic made more dangerous by Ukraine's shortage of air defences. Russia has struck the network more than 1,500 times this year alone, surpassing all of 2025, damaging 249 carriages and 492 locomotives.

Once known for punctuality, trains now face delays of up to 12-15 hours, as passengers must disembark and take shelter during air raid alerts. Last week a drone strike hit a train carrying 600 passengers, including 15 children, in the Odesa region. Leshchenko acknowledged the strikes are damaging the economy and slowing grain exports from Black Sea ports, and called on Western partners to supply more air defence systems.