Russian drone attacks struck a passenger bus and railway infrastructure in Ukraine, killing five civilians and injuring seven others, according to Ukrainian officials.
The deadliest attack hit a bus near Nikopol in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region. Regional authorities said a Russian drone targeted the vehicle while it was carrying civilian passengers.
Emergency teams were dispatched to the scene, where the injured received medical treatment. Officials did not immediately release complete information about the identities or conditions of those wounded.
In a separate attack, a drone struck a passenger train in the southern Mykolaiv region. Ukrainian railway authorities said all 168 passengers and crew members aboard were safely evacuated.
Images from the scene showed damage to the train and surrounding railway equipment. Emergency crews inspected the tracks and worked to restore services after passengers were moved away from the affected area.
Another locomotive was reportedly targeted in Kovel, a strategically important railway junction in western Ukraine near the Polish border. The city plays a significant role in connecting Ukraine’s transport system with Central and Eastern Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks and called on European countries and the United States to impose stronger pressure and sanctions on Russia.
Ukrainian authorities have accused Moscow of deliberately targeting passenger services and railway infrastructure to disrupt civilian movement, weaken the economy and place additional pressure on the country’s transport network.
Rail travel has become particularly important since Ukraine closed its civilian airspace following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Millions of people rely on trains and buses for domestic travel, evacuation and cross-border connections.
Ukraine’s state railway has continued operating throughout the war, transporting civilians, humanitarian supplies and essential goods despite repeated attacks on stations, tracks, power systems and locomotives.
Railway officials say approximately 1,700 facilities connected to the network have been attacked during 2026, reflecting a growing focus on transport and logistics infrastructure.
Russia has repeatedly said its military operations target facilities linked to Ukraine’s defence capabilities. Ukrainian officials maintain that strikes on passenger vehicles and civilian trains cannot be justified as attacks on military targets.
The latest incidents underline the increasing threat posed by drones to civilian transportation. Their relatively low cost and long range allow them to strike moving vehicles and infrastructure far from the front line.
Repair crews were working to assess the damage and restore affected services, while investigations continued into the precise circumstances of each attack.
