Russian Disinformation Claims Ukrainian Military Unit Destroyed on Train in Kharkiv Region

Russian Military Targets Civilian Train in Kharkiv, Falsely Claims Ukrainian Military Casualties

Ukrainian officials have firmly denied Russian propaganda claims that a unit of the 17th Special Forces Center of the Military Law Enforcement Service (MLES) was destroyed in a recent drone attack on a passenger train in the Kharkiv region.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine issued a statement via Facebook addressing the disinformation campaign, stating: “The information spread by Russian propaganda resources about the alleged ‘destruction of a train carrying personnel from the 17th Special Forces Center of the Military Law Enforcement Service’ in the Kharkiv region is not true.”

Officials characterized the Russian media reports as cynical and deliberate manipulation of facts, aimed at reframing terrorist attacks against civilian infrastructure as legitimate military operations. This pattern of disinformation appears designed to justify violence against Ukrainian citizens while misleading domestic and international audiences.

The MLES specifically refuted Russian claims about the “transfer of the 17th unit of the MLES to prevent mass desertion among Ukrainian army units,” calling these allegations “as much a fabrication and a lie as the statements of their ‘paper leadership,’ who have liberated Kupiansk and other locations on the front line for the hundredth time.”

While the MLES confirmed that one of its soldiers, Ruslan Nadich, was among the civilians killed in the attack on the train at Barvinkove station, they emphasized he was traveling as an individual passenger to an operational area, not as part of a military unit deployment. Nadich, a veteran who had been serving since 2014 in high-conflict zones, was a decorated soldier who had received the “Golden Cross” for his service.

“The Russian Federation is once again demonstrating its true nature, using the deaths of people and attacks on civilian targets as a tool of lies and propaganda,” the MLES statement added, urging citizens to rely on official sources and avoid spreading enemy disinformation.

The attack in question occurred on January 27, when Russian forces targeted the Barvinkove-Lviv-Chop passenger train with strike drones. At the time of the attack, the train was carrying 291 civilian passengers. By the evening of January 28, emergency services had recovered fragments of six bodies from the attack site, with forensic examinations still underway. Earlier reports had mentioned four confirmed deaths and two wounded, with rescue workers searching for four missing individuals.

This incident represents another chapter in Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare strategy in Ukraine, which combines physical attacks with information warfare. The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure like passenger trains constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on civilian targets during armed conflict.

The pattern of attacking civilian targets and then claiming military justification has become a recurring tactic in Russia’s information campaign. Such attacks on transportation infrastructure also serve to disrupt civilian movement and create additional hardship for Ukrainians attempting to travel within their country.

The Kharkiv region, bordering Russia, has been a frequent target of Russian military operations since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. As one of Ukraine’s largest cities and a major transportation hub, attacks on Kharkiv’s infrastructure have significant impact on both civilian life and Ukraine’s logistical capabilities.

Ukrainian officials continue to urge international partners to provide enhanced air defense systems to protect civilian infrastructure from such attacks, which have become increasingly common as the conflict approaches its third year.