KYIV — Russia has been deliberately targeting Ukraine’s railway system, destroying or damaging more than 200 locomotives since the start of 2026, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration Oleksiy Kuleba.
Kuleba reported that Russian forces have struck Ukrainian railway infrastructure more than 1,000 times so far this year. Among the most recent incidents, two locomotives were damaged during a Friday evening attack in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.
The deputy prime minister noted that the scale of repair work needed is growing steadily and is demanding substantial financial resources to keep up with the ongoing destruction.
The attacks are particularly significant given the critical role Ukraine’s rail network plays in its economy. The state-owned railways operator Ukrzaliznytsia is responsible for handling more than 90% of all Ukrainian export shipments, making it a vital lifeline for the country’s trade and supply chains.
