Ukraine’s national railway network, long regarded as a lifeline for civilians and a symbol of resilience since Russia’s full-scale invasion, is now under growing pressure as intensified attacks disrupt operations and push the country’s transit map further from the frontline.
Trains Still Running — but Under Fire
A recent overnight journey from Husarivka, a village near Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, highlighted the mounting challenges. A long-distance passenger train arrived in Kyiv more than two hours late after Russian drone and missile attacks knocked out its power supply. A diesel engine had to be sent to rescue the stranded cars.
Despite the disruption, crew members took the incident calmly. “We all know the routine now,” said 63-year-old conductor Katerina Kotcherzhuk, who continued onward toward western Ukraine after the delay.
Since Ukraine’s airspace closed in 2022, rail travel has become the backbone of national mobility. But railway lines, power stations, depots, and bridges have increasingly found themselves in Russia’s crosshairs.
Surge in Attacks on Railway Infrastructure
According to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, Russian forces have carried out more than 400 attacks on railway-related sites since early August — nearly double the number recorded during the same period the previous year.
“These are coordinated strikes on substations and critical junctions,” he warned, calling them part of a broader strategy to hinder Ukraine’s ability to connect its eastern regions with the rest of the country.
The chief executive of Ukrainian Railways, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, said Russia is attempting “to isolate the frontline from the nation,” noting that modern Russian drones are now capable of targeting moving trains.
Rail Links Cut in Donetsk for the First Time in a Decade
Following intensified shelling, Ukraine halted all civilian rail services to the Donetsk region at the end of October — a historic interruption not seen since 2014. The decision underscores the growing danger facing communities near the fighting.
Military analysts say the strikes will not significantly affect Ukraine’s battlefield logistics, which rely less on heavy, train-bound equipment than Russia’s. However, they have introduced unprecedented delays to passenger services that once prided themselves on near-perfect punctuality.
In 2024, more than 90% of Ukrainian trains ran on time. Today, delays of two to six hours following major attacks have become common.
Deadly Strikes and Sabotage Attempts
Recent months have seen deadly incidents:
- Two drones hit commuter trains during evacuation operations in Shostka, killing a 71-year-old man and injuring more than 30 people.
- The Zaporizhzhia–Kamianske station was bombed on November 6.
- A locomotive depot in Poltava was struck two days later.
Ukraine has also faced sabotage attempts on rail lines in Poland, including a key route linking Warsaw to the Ukrainian border.
Railway Workers Adapt to Wartime Conditions
Ukrzaliznytsia has introduced new safety protocols. Train crews now carry personal alarm kits designed to allow work to continue through air raid sirens unless a direct threat is detected.
The company has also altered schedules, cancelled some frontline routes, and reduced the number of trains in high-risk areas such as Sumy. Where possible, it has added more carriages to remaining trains to ensure civilians can still evacuate.
“We try to stay ahead of the enemy,” the company said in a recent statement. “We minimise overnight stops in exposed locations to protect our personnel and equipment.”
A Symbolic Loss in the East
The decision to halt services to Kramatorsk and Slovyansk — major eastern hubs — carries emotional weight. For years, the Kramatorsk station served as a bustling point of reunion for soldiers and families, even as fighting escalated around the city.
Locals have begun posting farewell photos taken on its platforms. One caption read: “At least we have the memories.”
For many in the region, the westward shift of the rail terminus is a stark indicator of Russia’s grinding advance — and of how war steadily reshapes daily life.
