Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a passenger train that local officials say killed at least four people.
Zelensky stated that another four individuals are missing following the drone strike in Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region on Tuesday, where the train was carrying over 200 passengers.
Additionally, earlier reports from officials in Ukraine's southern port of Odesa confirmed three fatalities from an overnight Russian drone attack.
Russia has not provided any comment on these incidents. Over the past months, Moscow has escalated its drone and missile strikes targeting Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure, exacerbating the challenges faced during one of the country's harshest winters in years.
Millions of individuals across Ukraine remain without heating, electricity, and water due to the relentless assaults.
President Putin's full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022, with Moscow currently controlling approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In a post on social media late Tuesday, Zelensky asserted, In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way - purely as terrorism. He emphasized the absence of any military justification for targeting civilians, pointing out that 18 people were aboard the carriage that sustained direct hits.
Graphic evidence released by Ukraine's emergency services reveals a carriage severely damaged and ablaze after the attack.
According to Kharkiv's regional prosecutor's office, the train was targeted near Yazykove village, with one drone impacting the carriage directly while two others detonated nearby.
The train was on its journey from Chop at the western border to Barvinkove, passing through the regional capital Kharkiv, a line commonly used by local residents and Ukrainian soldiers traveling for leave.
In a related incident, officials in Odesa reported that Russia launched over 50 drones at the port, targeting energy and civilian infrastructure, resulting in three deaths and injuries to 25 others. Several floors of a residential building collapsed following strikes, causing extensive damage in the vicinity.
Despite ongoing Ukraine-Russia negotiations round involving US representatives, which took place in the UAE and were described as constructive, the aerial assaults persist, highlighting unresolved territorial issues.
