The tanks that fuel Moscow’s airliners are reported burning after Ukraine’s latest drone raid on the capital region

Ukraine's railways have been crucial for the country's functioning since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. However, the situation is deteriorating as attacks on the railway infrastructure increase. According to the state-owned operator Ukrzaliznytsia, over half of all strikes on locomotives since the invasion have occurred this year alone.

Yuliia Ponomarenko, a 27-year-old marketing specialist from Kharkiv, had her journey to Warsaw suddenly interrupted by a Russian drone attack near the Ukraine-Poland border, causing a six-hour delay for passengers on her train. This is part of a wider assault on Ukraine's infrastructure, with 5,831 trains evacuated due to Russian drone attacks in September alone, averaging 205 trains stopped per day.

Anastasiia Ryvbalchenko, a 17-year-old passenger, had to leave her train at 4 am during a journey from Odesa to Kirovohrad, only to find herself caught in another drone attack later in the morning. These disruptions are becoming increasingly commonplace, with passengers relying on constant updates from Telegram channels and warning friends and family about train delays.

The railway company, proud of its punctuality record, now faces a major challenge in prioritizing passenger and crew safety amidst the escalating attacks. Russia's defence ministry denies targeting civilians, claiming its attacks aim to disrupt military transportation. However, the frequency and precision of these attacks are becoming extremely intense, with many advanced drones equipped with AI tools and image recognition.

Ukraine is employing electronic methods to disrupt drone connectivity, but the cat-and-mouse game continues. Despite the risks, the railway staff at a Kyiv bunker, known as the "Iron Command Centre," monitor threats in real time, ensuring trains and crew members avoid immediate attack zones.