Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a crowded passenger train that local officials say killed at least five people and injured several others.
More than 200 people were on the train when one of the carriages was hit by a drone, with two other drones exploding nearby in Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region. Zelensky noted that 18 people were in the carriage at the time and criticized the lack of military justification for targeting civilians.
Russia has not commented on the strike, but it has intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure during the harshest winter in years.
In addition to the train attack, the southern port city of Odesa was hit by numerous drones, killing three individuals and injuring many others. Residential buildings, including one in Kyiv, sustained serious damage, indicating the widespread impact of these assaults.
Many civilians across Ukraine have been left without heating, electricity, and water due to these ongoing attacks. Since the start of the conflict, Russia has managed to seize about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In a statement on social media, Zelensky asserted that any country would regard a drone strike on a civilian train as terrorism. Footage showed at least one carriage still burning post-attack, highlighting the incident's severity.
The train was reportedly traveling from Chop on the western border to Barvinkove in Kharkiv, a route frequented by civilians and military personnel alike.
