Understand
Fear and disruption for Ukraine's rail passengers as Russia escalates drone attacks
Overview
Ukrainian railway passengers are facing increasing disruption, emergency evacuations, and long delays as Russia intensifies drone attacks on the country's rail network. State-owned operator Ukrzaliznytsia reports that over half of all strikes on locomotives since the 2022 invasion have occurred in 2026, forcing thousands of train evacuations in September alone. While the operator prioritises passenger and crew safety through real-time tracking and evacuation protocols, the escalating threat poses major challenges ahead of the winter months.
Key points
- More than half of all strikes on Ukrainian locomotives since the 2022 invasion have occurred in 2026.
- In September alone, 5,831 trains were evacuated due to Russian drone attacks, averaging 205 stopped trains per day.
- Russian drones began targeting moving passenger trains toward the end of 2025, increasingly utilising advanced technologies like AI and image recognition.
- Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi states that passenger and crew safety remains the utmost priority, with trains evacuated when drones approach within a 100km radius.
- Data from Ukrzaliznytsia shows eight company employees have been killed in 2026, including six in a ballistic missile strike on a Kyiv depot.
- The rail operator is preparing winter evacuation packs, mobile shelters, and bus services to cope with frequent disruptions as cold weather approaches.