Russia is systematically attacking Ukrainian railway tracks in an attempt to paralyze the transport network and sow panic among the civilian population, said Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, as reported by Reuters and written by UNN.
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Since summer, Russia has launched a large-scale wave of attacks on Ukrainian railways, using new tactics to hit key junctions with long-range kamikaze drones, Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi told Reuters.
Their (Russians' - ed.) first goal is to sow panic among passengers, the second is to hit the economy in general. In essence, these are all attacks on civilian infrastructure
According to him, since the beginning of the war, the railway network has become critical for evacuating people and transporting military equipment and commercial goods. World leaders, including Emmanuel Macron, Narendra Modi, and Joe Biden, have used trains for visits to Ukraine during the war.
Pertsovskyi noted that the attacks are related to a sharp increase in the number of long-range drones produced by the Russian military-industrial complex.
Previously, they simply did not have enough resources for a single combat drone, such as a "Shahed," to track down a locomotive. Now they can afford to use "Shaheds" to hit individual locomotives, not strategic targets
Train disruptions after attacks usually last from six to twelve hours, with diesel locomotives replacing electric ones until power is restored. "It's a marathon... They hit us, we recover," Pertsovskyi emphasized.
Since mid-summer, Russia has been attacking railway substations and key infrastructure nodes daily with an average of six to seven Shahed drones.
They... act systematically, disabling one substation after another or key railway junctions to stop passenger trains and sow panic and distrust among people
Pertsovskyi added that five or six key railway junctions have been shelled since summer. At the same time, the railway faces sabotage by agents recruited by Russia, and sabotage is increasing – dozens of cases have been recorded this year.
Operating diesel locomotives is almost five times more expensive than electric locomotives, which complicates the company's financial situation. According to World Bank estimates, about 30% of Ukrainian railways are in a "damage-recovery" cycle.
If we slow down a bit and allow the enemy to hit and destroy, then they (Russians - ed.) will be even more attracted by the smell of blood
He emphasized that the company will continue repair work at its usual pace, without disclosing specific locations for security reasons.