A Ukrainian soldier has described the moment a passenger train was targeted by Russian drones, killing five people.
When a carriage on the train was hit in northeastern Ukraine, passengers threw themselves on the floor in panic as a military officer ordered them to evacuate immediately. His timely command likely saved many more lives, as the carriage burst into flames moments later.
The officer, known by his call-sign Omar, is part of Ukraine's 93rd brigade. He was traveling from Chop, on the border with Slovakia, to Barvinkove, the last stop before the front line in eastern Ukraine.
The first of three drones struck near the train, which forced it to come to a halt. Then we heard the rumble of another drone, and then an explosion, Omar told the BBC. The blast was so strong that parts of the carriage shattered into splinters.
As the commander of a drone unit, he quickly recognized the danger and urged others to exit the train, fearing a second strike. A total of 291 passengers were aboard at the time.
Following the initial attack, videos show passengers fleeing in distress, many screaming and crying as they escaped the smoldering wreckage. Amidst the chaos, Omar advised them to move toward a nearby motorway for safety.
After ensuring the passengers evacuated, Omar returned to the train to search for any remaining survivors. He found a body and, in the final carriage, a terrified young woman with a baby, who had been traveling to reunite her child with their soldier father.
The attack drew severe criticism from President Volodymyr Zelensky, who labeled it a terrorist act aimed at crippling Ukraine's transportation infrastructure. The strike struck at the heart of the railway system—a critical lifeline for many Ukrainians amid ongoing conflict.
In response to the tragedy, flags flew at half-mast at railway stations nationwide, and a moment of silence was observed for the victims. Despite the chaos, train services resumed along the affected route just hours after the attack.
