A Russian drone attack targeted a passenger train in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Tuesday, resulting in at least five confirmed deaths and multiple injuries.
The incident, which involved three drones striking a carriage carrying 18 passengers out of more than 200 on board, has been labeled an act of terrorism by Zelensky, who called for global pressure on Russia to curb such assaults.
In a post on X, Zelensky detailed the attack and emphasized its civilian nature. “Today, Russia struck a passenger train in the Kharkiv region with attack drones. In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism,” he stated. “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. There is, and can be, no military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage.”
Zelensky added that rescue operations were ongoing, with teams searching for four additional individuals believed to be missing. “Overall, this attack involving three drones has so far resulted in four confirmed deaths. My condolences to all the families and loved ones,” he said. “Two others have been injured.”
The Ukrainian leader alleged, the strike as part of a broader escalation in Russian aggression, noting that Moscow has “significantly increased their capacity to kill, their capacity to terrorize.” He urged international unity to counter this, stating: “Russia must be held accountable for what it is doing. And this means responsibility not only for strikes against our people, against our life, but for the very ability to carry out such attacks. They are investing in the progress of terror.”
Zelensky concluded by advocating for enhanced global support: “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. This is possible by punishing Russia for its actions. This is possible through support for Ukraine. I thank everyone who does not remain silent when they see what Russian terrorists are doing.”
The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the use of three attack drones, possibly Geran-2 models, in the assault. The train, hit near a residential area, resumed its journey after a delay, but the incident has heightened concerns over civilian safety amid ongoing Russian strikes across Ukraine. Reports indicate that Russian attacks on the same day killed at least 11 people nationwide, including in other regions.
This event underscores the intensifying conflict, with drones increasingly used to target infrastructure and civilians. Ukrainian officials have called for stronger air defenses and international sanctions to limit Russia’s drone capabilities. No immediate response from Russian authorities was available regarding the specific incident.
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