Russian drones strike train in Kharkiv Region, killing at least five

Three Russian attack drones hit a passenger train in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region on Jan. 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported.

Rescuers at the scene have so far recovered the bodies of five people, along with additional body fragments. The exact number of casualties will be determined after genetic testing.

“In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism. There would be no doubt about the classification, neither in Europe, nor in America, nor in the Arab world, nor in China, nor anywhere else,” Zelenskyy wrote.

The train, operating the Chop-Lviv-Kharkiv-Barvinkove route, was near the village of Yazykove in the Barvinkove community when it was struck. Later on Jan. 27, Ukraine’s state-run railway reported that 10 surviving train cars continued their journey, transporting passengers westward across Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said that there could be no military justification for targeting civilians on a passenger train. Nearly 300 passengers were on board the train at the time. The specific car hit by a Russian drone contained 18 passengers.

The attack was deliberate, according to electronic warfare and communications expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov, who spoke to BBC Ukraine.

“A drone controlled online struck a moving passenger train. They didn’t hit the locomotive — they targeted the middle of the train. The pilot operating the drone through a radio modem (MESh or Starlink?) did this intentionally and deliberately. Pilots can clearly distinguish between different types of train cars,” Beskrestnov said.

Zelenskyy said Russia must be held accountable for its actions.

“And this means responsibility not only for strikes against our people, against our life, but for the very ability to carry out such attacks.”

He added that Russia has significantly increased its capacity to kill and terrorize, advancing “the capacity of terrorise.”

“And our task – and this should unite all decent people around the world – is to ensure progress in the protection of life. This is possible through pressure on Russia.”