Russian Drone Attack on Passenger Train Labeled ‘Act of Terrorism’ by Zelenskyy

A Russian drone attack on a passenger train in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region has claimed at least five lives, according to Ukrainian officials, in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned as “an act of terrorism.”

The strike, which occurred on Tuesday, targeted a civilian train carrying more than 200 passengers. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba reported that three Russian drones were used in the assault, with one directly hitting a carriage containing 18 passengers. The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Wednesday that five people were killed, two were injured, and one remains missing.

“In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media platform X. “There is, and can be, no military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage.”

Images from the scene show firefighters battling flames engulfing the damaged rail cars, while war crime prosecutors and police officers have begun investigating the attack site.

The assault comes at a particularly sensitive diplomatic moment, following weekend trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Abu Dhabi. These discussions, aimed at finding a path to end the nearly four-year conflict, were described as “very constructive” by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who indicated that further meetings were planned for this week.

“President Trump and his entire team are dedicated to bringing peace to this war,” Witkoff stated, highlighting the new administration’s focus on resolving the conflict.

The timing of the attack has raised questions about Russia’s commitment to peace negotiations. Despite participating in talks, Moscow has maintained its aggressive campaign against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure throughout the diplomatic process.

This assault is part of a broader pattern of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, particularly energy facilities. These attacks have intensified during the winter months, leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians without heat, electricity, and water during freezing temperatures.

In Kyiv, the situation remains dire for many residents. Zelenskyy reported that significant power outages persist across the region, with hundreds of residential buildings in three districts of the capital still without heating despite intensive repair efforts.

“Repair crews are working at maximum capacity. Crews from almost across the entire country have been deployed to assist,” the Ukrainian president noted.

The Kharkiv region, where the train attack occurred, has been a frequent target of Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Located near the Russian border, the region has strategic importance in the ongoing conflict and has experienced some of the war’s most intense fighting.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about Russia’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, which violates international humanitarian law. The deliberate attacking of non-military targets constitutes a potential war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

As Ukraine continues to depend on Western support for its defense, incidents like the train attack underscore the challenges facing peace negotiators. While diplomatic channels remain open, the ongoing violence highlights the significant gulf that exists between the warring parties’ positions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with volunteer groups, including military veterans, organizing humanitarian assistance such as distributing hot meals to residents left without power in affected neighborhoods.