Russia targets passenger train with jet-powered Shahed, killing two rail workers
Russian Shahed in the skies over Ukraine (Photo: In Factum / Telegram)
A jet-powered Russian Shahed drone struck a passenger train
in Odesa Oblast on Aug. 13, killing the engineer and assistant engineer, according to preliminary information
from Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state railway.
The railway said an investigation into the attack was
underway.
“Despite the threat, the locomotive crew kept the train
moving so 340 passengers could safely leave the cars. All passengers and the
train’s onboard staff were evacuated, and none were injured,” the company said.
Ukrzaliznytsia head Oleksandr Pertsovskyi called
the strike deliberate, saying the drone hit the locomotive.
“We detected a drone threat, and the monitoring team relayed
an order to stop. The train was entering a station so passengers could be
evacuated safely. The jet-powered Shahed abruptly changed course — the crew had
only minutes and did not have enough time to bring the train to a complete stop
and evacuate themselves,” Pertsovskyi said.
Russia regularly attacks Ukrzaliznytsia tracks, stations,
depots and trains.
On Aug. 7, the railway said
Russia had attacked its network 41 times in the previous five days alone. Those
attacks killed six railway workers and injured 17 people.
Eleven locomotives were damaged during the same period, the
company said. Passengers were evacuated from trains 350 times because of the
threat of Russian strikes.
The railway also reported a temporary suspension of ticket
sales for some services and routes beginning Aug. 27.
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