Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a passenger train that local officials say killed at least four people.
Zelensky stated that another four individuals are currently missing after the train, carrying over 200 passengers, was struck in the northeastern Kharkiv region on Tuesday.
In addition, officials in Ukraine's port city of Odesa reported that three people died in a separate overnight drone assault by Russia.
Despite the increase in attacks, Russia has yet to make any public comment. In recent months, Moscow has escalated its drone and missile strikes, aiming primarily at Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructures, particularly as the country braces for one of its harshest winters.
Millions of Ukrainians find themselves without heating, electricity, and water due to the ongoing assaults.
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion in February 2022, and at present, Moscow occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In a social media statement late Tuesday, Zelensky remarked: In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way - purely as terrorism. He emphasized the lack of any military justification for targeting civilians, noting that there were 18 people in the affected carriage.
Emergency services released images and footage showing at least one train carriage devastated by fire due to the attack. Kharkiv's regional prosecutor reported that the drone struck the train near the Yazykove village, with one drone hitting a carriage directly and two others detonating nearby.
The incident occurred while the train was traveling from Chop in western Ukraine to Barvinkove in the Kharkiv region, a line regularly used by local residents and soldiers on leave.
Separately, in Odesa, military officials announced that over 50 Russian drones targeted civilian infrastructure overnight, resulting in three fatalities and injuries to 25 others. The missile assault caused significant damage to several structures, including a residential building that partially collapsed.
Despite ongoing peace talks, Russia's daily aerial attacks continue, raising concerns about civilian safety and the humanitarian impact as diplomatic solutions remain elusive.
