Freight train derailed in Russia's Volgograd Oblast due to alleged 'interference'

Several cars of a freight train in Russia's Volgograd Oblast were derailed due to "interference by unauthorized persons," the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on May 14, citing a statement from the Russian railway services.

The incident reportedly occurred at the Kotluban station, which lies around 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the regional center, Volgograd, and roughly 330 kilometers (around 200 miles) east of the Russo-Ukrainian border.

The statement did not provide further details regarding the cause of the incident.

The Baza Telegram channel claimed that the train was derailed due to a drone attack, after which two fuel wagons caught fire and one exploded. Nine train cars total were derailed, the channel claimed.

RIA Novosti wrote, citing the country's Emergency Situations Ministry, that a tank with diesel fuel and a car with lumber caught fire but had been extinguished as of 6:40 a.m. local time.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

A number of earlier railway incidents were linked to Ukrainian intelligence services. Ukrainian media claimed in late November and early December 2023 that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out two sabotages on the Baikal-Amur railway in Russia's Buryatia Republic.

Russian officials claimed that an overnight attack on May 12 caused a brief fire at an oil refinery in Volgograd Oblast.

Russia reports fire at Volgograd oil refinery

An overnight drone attack caused a brief fire at an oil refinery in Russia’s Volgograd region, Governor Andrey Bocharov reported on Telegram.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova