Russia investigating freight train derailment in Belgorod Oblast as 'terrorist attack'
A freight train derailed in the Novooskolsky district in Russia's Belgorod Oblast on Sept. 11 as a result of "illegal interference," according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, a diesel locomotive and 11 cars of the freight train derailed at the Novy Oskol-Volokonovka span. Russian authorities claimed that the cars were empty and there were no casualties.
The train derailed due to an explosion on the tracks, the Russian Telegram channel Baza alleged. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
The Russian committee described the incident as a "terrorist attack" and opened a criminal case.
"Search measures are being carried out to identify the perpetrators of the crime," the statement read. Russian authorities have not openly connected the incident to Ukraine.
Several sabotage attacks against Russian railways, including fires, explosions, and derailments, have been reported during Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) claimed in January that some of the railway tracks in Russia were targeted by "unknown opponents of (Vladimir) Putin's regime." The agency did not say whether it was involved in the sabotage attacks but said the actions would disrupt Russian military logistics.
Martin Fornusek
