On the night of 30 October to 31 October, Russia launched unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and missile strikes in Sumy and Kharkiv regions of Ukraine, targeting critical railway infrastructure. As a result of the attacks, more than ten Ukrainian civilians, including four children, were injured and train services were disrupted.
Railways Targeted Critical Maintenance Depot Heavily Damaged
In the Russian attacks, the warehouse in the Sumy region, which provides technical services to Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia), was heavily damaged.
Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba confirmed that Shahid-type UCAVs were used in the attack and that the train depot was heavily damaged. Kuleba stated that there were no injuries in the warehouse thanks to the prior evacuation of workers.
While train services were disrupted as a result of the attack, it was reported that passengers, especially on the Sumy-Kiyiv route, were able to depart on time with a train diverted from another region. In Lozovain the Kharkiv region, railway infrastructure was damaged and there were delays in train services, which had to use alternative routes.
Attack on Civilian Infrastructure: 12 injured, including children
Russia’s strikes were not limited to military or logistical targets, but also hit civilian settlements. Twelve civilians, including four children, were injured in a fire in an apartment block in Sumy and received medical treatment.
According to the State Emergency Situations Service of Ukraine (DSNS), as a result of the attacks, two business centres caught fire and one residence was damaged. While the biggest damage occurred in an infrastructure facility, the fire in the facility was reportedly extinguished.
In addition to Sumy and Kharkiv, Russian forces also targeted Zaporizhia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba stated that the attacks targeted the lives of Ukrainian civilians and the country’s transport infrastructure, and announced that restoration works are continuing rapidly.
