Russia Intensifies Attacks on Ukraine's Railways, CEO States

Escalation of Russian Attacks on Ukrainian Railways

• 🎯 Ukraine's state-owned railway has been a consistent target since the start of Russia's invasion.
• ⚡ CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi reports a significant increase in attacks since the summer, utilizing long-range Shahed drones.
• 💡 Previously, Russia lacked resources for drones to target individual locomotives; now, they are used to hit them directly, shifting from strategic targets.

Railways as a Lifeline and Economic Target

• 🚆 The railway network has served as a critical lifeline for civilian movement within Ukraine and for international travel since February 2022.
• 🚂 While also crucial for transporting military equipment, the CEO believes the primary aim of the attacks is to sow panic among passengers and damage the overall economy.
• 📉 Since mid-summer, an average of six to seven long-range Shahed drones have been used nightly against electricity substations and infrastructure nodes.

Damage, Resilience, and Strategy

• 💥 Five or six key rail hubs have been bombed since the summer, though Reuters could not independently verify these reports.
• 📊 The World Bank estimates that approximately 30% of Ukraine's railway infrastructure is currently in a damage and repair cycle.
• 💪 Despite the ongoing attacks, Pertsovskyi emphasizes the network's resilience, describing the situation as a 'marathon' and 'game of exhaustion' where they recover from each strike.
• ⚠️ He stresses the importance of not giving up, as slowing down could embolden the enemy further.