Russian drones began targeting Ukrainian passenger trains in late 2025, escalating attacks throughout 2026. More than half of all locomotive strikes since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 have occurred this year, according to Ukrzaliznytsia, the national railway operator.
Passenger Experiences During Drone Strikes
In September 2026 alone, 5,831 trains were evacuated in response to drone alerts, averaging 205 stops daily. Marketing specialist Yuliia Ponomarenko from Kharkiv experienced a six-hour delay near the Ukraine-Poland border after a Russian drone struck a locomotive. A special train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson passed near the site of the attack minutes earlier.
Seventeen-year-old passenger Anastasiia Ryvbalchenko was
evacuated at 4 a.m. on September 16, 2026, near Kirovohrad during a journey from Odesa amid frequent drone attacks. She described multiple evacuations and a loud explosion that forced passengers to flee into nearby woods. Anastasiia said she decided not to travel by Ukrainian railways again due to safety concerns.
Ukrzaliznytsia’s Response and Monitoring
Ukrzaliznytsia operates an underground ‘Iron Command Centre’ in Kyiv that monitors drone threats across the network in real time. When a drone is detected within a 100-kilometer radius, all passenger trains in the area are evacuated immediately. CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi emphasized that passenger and crew safety is the highest priority,
even at the expense of punctuality.
The company is developing winter-specific evacuation packs, mobile shelters, and bus services to support passengers during frequent evacuations expected in harsher weather conditions.
Scale of Attacks and Casualties
Since the invasion began in 2022, 521 locomotives have been struck by Russian attacks, with nearly 60% of those hits occurring in 2026. Attacks on railway facilities increased from 1,206 in 2025 to 1,700 so far this year. In 2026, eight Ukrzaliznytsia employees were killed, six of them during a ballistic missile strike on a locomotive depot in Kyiv.
Operational protocols include evacuating trains when drone activity is detected nearby. This
has caused widespread delays, sometimes lasting hours, affecting routes particularly near the Ukraine-Poland border and eastern regions.
Official Statements and Strategic Context
Oleksandr Pertsovskyi described the ongoing conflict as an intense ‘war with railways,’ noting Russian drones use shahed models equipped with AI and image recognition to target moving trains precisely. He called the situation a continuous ‘cat-and-mouse game’ as Ukrzaliznytsia employs electronic disruption against drones.
The Russian defence ministry denies targeting civilian infrastructure, stating its attacks focus on military transportation assets. Ukrzaliznytsia, however, prioritizes keeping trains and crew members out of immediate attack areas to minimize casualties.
Impact on Passengers and Travel Reliability
Passengers often face emergency evacuations during air
raid alerts, waiting on tracksides for extended periods before resuming journeys. Travel disruptions have become commonplace across Ukraine’s rail network.
Ukrzaliznytsia’s CEO affirmed that despite the intensified threats, the railway will continue connecting the country through all seasons, adapting to challenges posed by the conflict and harsh winter weather.
Yuliia Ponomarenko reflected on her experience: “We were really lucky that we were delayed a little and it wasn’t our train.” Anastasiia Ryvbalchenko expressed exhaustion over repeated evacuations, saying, “I was already thinking that if there was another evacuation, I just couldn’t take it any more.”
