Over 500 locomotives destroyed or damaged by Russian attacks, Ukraine says

More than 500 locomotives have been either "completely destroyed" or damaged by Russian attacks throughout the full-scale war, more than half of which occurred since the start of this year, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Sept. 15.

The statement comes as Russia intensifies its drone attacks on trains running across the country, with one of the most recent strikes hitting the locomotive of the Kyiv-Warsaw train about two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Polish border.

Yet another Russian attack overnight on Sept. 15 hit unspecified railway infrastructure in western Volyn Oblast, according to Sybiha. The State Emergency Service reported that a diesel locomotive caught fire, but there were no casualties.

"Russia continues its systematic attacks to disrupt logistics across Ukraine," Sybiha said in his post on X.

Sybiha stressed that the country urgently needs replacements and called on Western allies to help find and finance the procurement of locomotives compatible with the 1520 mm gauge.

"Supporting Ukraine's railway resilience will help avert a humanitarian crisis and strengthen our resilience under the challenging conditions of full-scale war," Sybiha added.

The rising number of attacks prompted Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) to introduce an evacuation protocol in March in the event of a heightened aerial threat, which has helped minimize casualties. However, the increased number of evacuations has caused significant train delays.

Russian drone attacks have usually targeted locomotives and the railway infrastructure in front-line regions. But two Russian attacks in recent days on a train and railway infrastructure in western Ukraine have raised concerns about the growing threat to rail routes long considered relatively safe.