On 16 September 2026, Russian drone strikes targeted a passenger bus in southern Ukraine and a train in the Mykolaiv region, near the Poland border, killing five people and injuring seven others, Ukrainian officials reported. The bus attack resulted in four male and one female fatality, while all 168 passengers and crew on the attacked train were evacuated without injury. Additional strikes hit the train twice more, and a locomotive in Kovel near Poland’s border was also struck.
Scope of Attacks on Ukrainian Rail Infrastructure
These incidents are part of Russia’s intensified 2026 campaign against Ukraine’s railway system, aimed at disrupting civilian transport, evacuations, and the economy.
Ukrainian Railways revealed that so far in 2026, Russian forces have damaged 120 passenger wagons, 304 locomotives, and 43 railway stations. The total number of railway facilities hit this year has reached 1,700, up from 1,206 in 2025 and 842 in 2024. The attacks are spread across southern Ukraine regions and the border with Poland, including critical railway nodes near Kovel and Mykolaiv.
Official Condemnations of Drone Strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as “no military logic to this, just another act of brutality,” urging Western countries to strengthen sanctions on Russia. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strikes as deliberate efforts
to paralyze civilian life and economic functions. Sybiha said, “Russian forces strike passenger trains, locomotives, stations, and railway routes knowing exactly how essential they are for civilians, evacuations, and Ukraine’s economy.” He added, “This is not collateral damage. It is a systematic hunt for people and an attempt to paralyze civilian life.”
Impact on Passenger Transport and Civilian Safety
The attacks have caused immediate disruption to passenger rail services in southern Ukraine and border regions. Authorities evacuated all passengers and crew from the train attacked in the Mykolaiv region with no reported injuries, reflecting the ongoing safety risks posed by repeated strikes. The bus attack near Nikopol
in Dnipropetrovsk region resulted in confirmed fatalities and injuries, further underscoring the vulnerability of civilian transport amid the conflict. Due to Ukraine’s closed airspace since the 2022 invasion, buses and trains remain vital for civilian and business travel.
