Kramatorsk, Ukraine's iconic front-line rail stop, closed for 'indefinite period'

A key train route iconic for being a meeting and departure point for Ukrainian soldiers and their loved ones has been reduced for an "indefinite period" due to safety concerns amid Russia intensifying strikes on railway infrastructure, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) told the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 4

Trains that ran from Kyiv and Lviv to Kramatorsk, a city in Donetsk Oblast located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the front line, will now have their final destination in the city of Husarivka in Kharkiv Oblast.

Kramatorsk train station, the last stop before the front lines in Ukraine's east, became well-known as a place where people saw off soldiers heading to the front, as well as greeting those returning.

According to Ukrainian Railways, the Donetsk Regional Military Administration provides buses to further transfer passengers from Husarivka to frontline cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

"We continue to operate wherever possible from a safety perspective and appreciate your understanding," Ukrainian Railways said.

Kramatorsk remains a frequent target as Russian forces continue their offensive in the region. Russian artillery and airstrikes on settlements in Donetsk Oblast occur daily, often resulting in civilian casualties.

Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure as autumn sets in, resulting in increasing train delays and cancellations.

Russian forces have carried out nearly 300 attacks on Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) infrastructure since the beginning of August, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksii Kuleba said on Oct. 12.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 221 railway workers have been injured and 37 others killed in the line of duty, the officials said.

There have also been several instances where Russia targeted passenger trains, resulting in civilian casualties. A Russian double-tap drone strike on a railway station in Sumy Oblast on Oct. 4 killed one person and injured at least 30 others, including three children.

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The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova