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Attack on crowded train kills five in Ukraine's Kharkiv region
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has labeled a Russian drone attack on a passenger train as an act of terrorism after at least five people were killed and multiple others injured in the country's northeastern Kharkiv region on Tuesday.
Details of the strike
Local officials reported that over 200 passengers were aboard the train when a drone struck one of its carriages, while two additional drones exploded nearby. Eighteen people were inside the targeted carriage at the time of the attack, which occurred near Yazykove village.
The train was en route from the western border town of Chop to Barvinkove in the Kharkiv region, passing through the regional capital, Kharkiv. The route is frequently used by civilians, including families of Ukrainian soldiers traveling to visit troops stationed in the east.
Zelensky's response and Russian silence
In a late-night social media post, Zelensky condemned the attack, stating that such strikes on civilian targets are universally recognized as terrorism. He emphasized that there was no military justification for targeting the train.
Russia has not issued any statement regarding the incident. However, Moscow has escalated drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure amid one of the harshest winters in recent years.
Widespread attacks across Ukraine
In the southern port city of Odesa, officials reported that more than 50 drones struck overnight, killing three people and wounding dozens. A local energy facility sustained significant damage, and attacks persisted into Wednesday morning.
In the Kyiv region, a residential building was hit, resulting in the deaths of a couple and injuries to their four-year-old child. The assaults have left millions across Ukraine without heating, electricity, or water.
Broader context of the conflict
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory. Recent talks in the United Arab Emirates, involving U.S. negotiators, were described as constructive, though key territorial disputes remain unresolved. Further discussions are expected this weekend.
Aftermath of the train attack
Footage and images released by Ukraine's emergency services show a severely damaged carriage still smoldering after the strike. Kharkiv's regional prosecutor's office is investigating the incident.
"In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way-purely as terrorism."
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President
