At least 30 people have been injured following a Russian drone strike on a railway station in north-east Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
In a post on X, he mentioned that preliminary reports indicated that train staff and passengers were at the site of the strike in the city of Shostka, in the Sumy region.
Emergency services are on the scene and have begun helping those affected. Zelensky also shared a video showing a damaged train carriage on fire.
The Russians could not have been unaware that they were targeting civilians. This is terrorism, which the world has no right to ignore, Zelensky wrote on X. He stressed the need for action from the West, stating, We've heard resolute statements from Europe and America – and it's high time to turn them all into reality.
Reports confirm two strikes within a short period, hitting passenger trains and injuring three children aged 8, 11, and 14. The railways' statement described the attack as a vile attempt to disrupt communication with frontline communities. According to the Ukrainian Railways head, the assault lacked any military justification and was intended to instill panic among the civilian population.
This incident reflects an increase in Russian strikes on Ukraine's railway infrastructure, as Kyiv continues to call for advanced air defense systems from its allies to counter the regular drone and missile attacks. Recent weeks have seen intensified aerial assaults, leading to significant casualties.
