In brief
In a tragic incident, a Russian drone strike targeted a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. The attack, witnessed by Ukrainian soldiers and civilians alike, caused mass panic among passengers. A military officer's quick actions potentially saved many lives as the train was hit by successive drones. President Zelensky decried the assault as a terrorist act, reflecting on the ongoing conflict and its toll on civilian life.
A Ukrainian soldier has described the moment a passenger train was targeted by Russian drones, killing five people. When a carriage on the train was hit in northeastern Ukraine, passengers threw themselves on the floor in panic, and the military officer told them to get out immediately. Without his instruction, issued moments before the carriage burst into flames, many more passengers could have died. The officer, whose army call-sign is Omar, is part of Ukraine's 93rd brigade. He was traveling on a route from Chop, on the border with Slovakia, to Barvinkove, the last stop before the front line in eastern Ukraine.The first of three Russian drones landed near the train, forcing it to halt. 'Then we heard the rumble of another drone, and then an explosion,' Omar told the BBC. 'The blast was so strong that parts of the carriage shattered into splinters.' As the commander of a drone unit, he quickly realized he and the other passengers had to exit as the train could be hit again. In total, 291 people were on board at the time.After the second hit, Omar noted that the drone operator was observing the target he was attacking, emphasizing how a stationary train is an easy target. The carriage that suffered a direct hit quickly became engulfed in flames. 'I am in the military and prepared for such attacks,' Omar stated. 'But for others, it was a shock to be so close to death.'Many passengers evacuated the train in distress, with videos showing people screaming and crying as they moved away from the smoldering wreck. They were urged by Omar to move toward a nearby motorway for safety. Later, returning to the site with some other passengers, he confirmed the devastating toll of the attack, which claimed five lives.As they searched through the train's carriages, Omar found a young woman with a baby, terrified and begging to return for her belongings. She was en route to reunite her child with her soldier husband at the front. President Zelensky condemned the attack, declaring it an act of terrorism aimed at undermining Ukraine's resilience and the reliance of millions on its railway system.Despite previous attacks on train services, the Ukrainian rail company has worked diligently to ensure the continuation of operations. The recent tragedy resulted in nationwide mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and a country-wide minute of silence in memory of the victims.}
