Russia targets Ukraine’s key rail system with new precision drone strikes
Earlier this month, Russian drones launched a deadly assault on the Shostka train station in northeastern Ukraine, killing a 71-year-old man, injuring at least eight others, and setting trains ablaze in a fiery explosion that left carriages warped and riddled with shrapnel. The strike was among the latest in a growing wave of attacks on Ukraine’s railway network, a critical lifeline for both military logistics and civilian commerce. Ukrainian officials say Russia has intensified its assault on rail infrastructure since mid-summer, using increasingly advanced long-range drones equipped with live video feeds to improve strike precision. In the Shostka incident, two explosive-laden drones hit commuter trains just minutes apart, less than 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Russian border. According to Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, CEO of the Ukrainian state railway, Moscow’s strategy appears aimed at destabilizing border regions by severing rail connections and demoralizing local populations.
What makes these new attacks especially dangerous, Ukrainian and Western experts warn, is the evolution of Russia’s drone technology. Updated Shahed-style drones now carry cameras and radio modems, allowing Russian operators to track targets in real time and alter flight paths midair — a major improvement over earlier preprogrammed models. These enhanced drones can penetrate up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) into Ukrainian territory while transmitting live footage back to Russian-controlled areas. Locomotives, experts say, are particularly at risk because they move slowly and predictably along fixed routes. “If the Russians keep hitting diesel and electric locomotives, the time will come when the tracks will remain intact, but there will be nothing left to run on them,” said Serhii Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian military drone analyst. Officials from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, speaking anonymously, confirmed that a recovered Geran-type drone — Russia’s version of Iran’s Shahed — contained a civilian camera and modem, indicating Moscow’s ongoing testing and refinement of strike technology.
The scale of the attacks has surged dramatically. Ukrainian officials now record as many as 10 strikes per week on rail-related targets — including tracks, power lines, substations, and stations — compared to about one weekly at the start of the war. Since August alone, more than 300 such incidents have been reported. The damage threatens a vital sector that handles over 60% of Ukraine’s freight and more than a third of its passenger transport. Despite these challenges, Ukrainian rail workers have maintained operations through rapid repair work. In Kyiv, crews have restored destroyed track segments in mere hours, even after direct missile hits. “Traffic on the track was fully restored in half a day,” said repair team leader Maksym Shevchuk. Freight traffic dropped by nearly 12% and passenger traffic by 4% in early 2025, but economists credit swift repairs and rerouting for preventing larger disruptions.
As Russia sharpens its focus on crippling Ukraine’s infrastructure, the country’s railway network has become a symbol of resilience and defiance. Even amid cyberattacks, missile strikes, and blackouts, Ukrainian crews continue to keep trains moving — often under fire. “For us, it is paramount to show Ukrainians — and the enemy — that these attacks are not going to bring the expected results,” Pertsovskyi said. Yet experts caution that with Moscow’s drones growing more sophisticated, Ukraine’s ability to sustain such resilience may face its greatest test yet.
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