Russian drones began attacking Ukrainian passenger trains at the end of 2025, with attacks intensifying sharply in 2026. Over half of all locomotive strikes since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 occurred this year, according to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway operator.
Passenger Disruptions Near Ukraine-Poland Border and Inside Ukraine
On a journey near the Ukraine-Poland border in September 2026, Yuliia Ponomarenko, a 27-year-old marketing specialist from Kharkiv, faced a six-hour delay after a Russian drone struck a locomotive close to the frontier. A special train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other European officials passed moments before the strike. Ponomarenko said passengers were evacuated and waited trackside
until the situation was resolved.
Seventeen-year-old Anastasiia Ryvbalchenko was evacuated at 4 a.m. on 16 September during travel from Odesa to Kirovohrad. Shortly after, a drone explosion occurred nearby, forcing passengers to flee into nearby woods. Ryvbalchenko described experiencing multiple evacuations during her trip and expressed a reluctance to travel again after the incidents.
Escalation of Attacks and Safety Measures in 2026
In September 2026 alone, 5,831 trains were evacuated due to drone threats, averaging 205 train stoppages daily. Since 2022, 521 locomotives have been hit with nearly 60% of strikes occurring in 2026. Attacks on railway facilities rose from 1,206 in 2025 to 1,700 so far this
year. Eight Ukrzaliznytsia employees were killed in 2026, including six fatalities from a ballistic missile strike on a locomotive depot in Kyiv.
Ukrzaliznytsia’s Response and Monitoring Systems
Ukrzaliznytsia operates an underground command center in Kyiv known as the ‘Iron Command Centre’ that monitors threats in real time. The centre tracks drone locations and their 100 km attack radii, leading to immediate evacuation of passengers and crews from trains entering these zones. Evacuations can last up to six hours, as experienced near the Ukraine-Poland border. Kyiv’s main railway station also undergoes evacuation along with other stations when air raid sirens sound.
The railway operator uses electronic
techniques to interfere with drone connectivity to protect trains. Winters present additional evacuation challenges, with temperatures dropping to -20C. Ukrzaliznytsia prepares winter packs, mobile shelters, and bus services to assist passengers in frequently evacuated areas.
Drone Technology and the Operational Challenge
Russian drones, specifically shahed models, employ artificial intelligence and image recognition to target moving trains accurately. Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, CEO of Ukrzaliznytsia, described the situation as an intense escalation involving deadly, precise strikes. He called it a continuous ‘cat-and-mouse game’ against drone threats, emphasizing the priority of keeping passengers and crew out of immediate attack zones despite operational difficulties.
Official Statements from Ukrzaliznytsia and Russian Defence Ministry
Pertsovskyi stated that passenger and crew safety
now takes precedence over train punctuality, noting that Ukraine’s railways have adapted even under wartime conditions. The Russian Defence Ministry denies targeting civilians, asserting their strikes focus on transport infrastructure used for military movements. Despite the ongoing threats, Ukrzaliznytsia commits to maintaining railway connectivity across Ukraine regardless of the attacks and seasonal challenges.
