Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday vowed to bolster security for the country’s railways following a series of Russian attacks.
Railway infrastructure and stations have repeatedly been targeted in Russian attacks, including on Sunday when a passenger train travelling from Kiev to Warsaw was hit with a combat drone near the Polish border.
Ukraine’s rail company, Ukrzaliznytsia, later speculated that the target may have been Western diplomats and former politicians travelling back from a conference in Kiev.
Zelensky said he had held a meeting focused on protecting critical infrastructure, the energy system and logistics.
“A lot of attention, of course, was given to the railways,” he said in his evening address.
“Even though the Russians consider our railways one of their top targets, Ukrzaliznytsia is operating at a high level. Despite delays, despite strikes, and despite all the damage, we are keeping our logistics running.”
He said there would be additional contracts for systems to strengthen protection of the railways, border crossings and other Ukrzaliznytsia facilities.
“This is not an abstract matter – this is about Ukraine’s life,” Zelensky said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said more than 500 locomotives have been damaged or destroyed by Russian attacks.
“Amid daily attacks on our railway, it has become a key system for economic and social stability of the Ukrainian people and cities,” he wrote on X.
He called on allies to find replacement locomotives and to provide financial help to purchase new ones.
“Supporting Ukraine’s railway resilience will help avert a humanitarian crisis and strengthen our resilience under the challenging conditions of full-scale war.”
Ukraine’s rail network has become a critical lifeline since the start of the full-scale war in February 2022, transporting civilians and essential supplies across the country and providing links with Ukraine’s European neighbours.