The war in Ukraine enters an even more devastating phase, The Guardian says

Russia’s attacks on Kyiv have struck Ukraine’s railway network, killing railway workers and sending passengers out of trains as drones and missiles approach. At least 12 people died and dozens were injured, including three children.

The strikes came as Russia intensified attacks on the capital. The bombardment continued for six days from the previous week, and one attack hit only hours before the start of the new school year in Ukraine. Ukraine’s state railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, said its employees died when a ballistic missile hit a train base.

The railway has become indispensable during the war. Ukraine has Europe’s third-largest railway network, stretching 24,000 kilometers. It has carried four million people and about 120,000 pets during the conflict, while around 600,000 people travel by train each week. The company employs about 170,000 people.

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the backbone of Ukraine’s economy

Serhiy Leshchenko, a member of Ukrzaliznytsia’s supervisory board, called the railway “the backbone of Ukraine’s economy.” He said it supports the army and the country’s industrial logistics, which is why Russia is seeking to destroy it. More than 1,500 strikes have hit railway infrastructure this year, exceeding the total for all of 2025. The attacks damaged 249 rail cars and 492 locomotives.

Trains that were once known for punctuality now regularly face delays of 12 to 15 hours. Passengers must leave trains and take shelter during air alerts, even in winter. Ukrainian journalist Tatiana Zayets described one evacuation in the rain as “hell,” saying passengers hid beneath a freight car while kamikaze drones flew overhead. Last week, a Russian drone hit a train carrying 600 people, including 15 children, in Odesa region.

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It was hell. The train stopped at night somewhere in central Ukraine. I do not even know what the city was called. Half asleep, I only heard the conductor say: ‘Evacuation.’