Zelensky Denounces Russian Drone Attack on Passenger Train as 'Terrorism'

Wed Feb 04 2026 06:57:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned a recent Russian drone strike on a passenger train in Kharkiv, calling it an act of terrorism that resulted in casualties and significant damage.

President Zelensky condemned a lethal drone strike by Russia on a passenger train in Kharkiv that killed at least four people and left several missing. The attack is part of a wider escalation in Russian assaults targeting Ukrainian civilian infrastructure amidst the harsh winter season. Zelensky described the incident as terrorism, emphasizing that there is no justification for such acts against civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a passenger train that local officials say killed at least four people.

Zelensky reported that another four individuals are currently missing following the strike on a train carrying more than 200 passengers in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

In an earlier incident, officials in Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa reported three fatalities resulting from a separate overnight Russian drone attack.

Russia has yet to respond to these accusations. The Kremlin has intensified its drone and missile strikes in recent months, targeting essential energy and transport infrastructures as Ukraine faces one of its harshest winters in years.

Millions across Ukraine are currently without heating, electricity, or water due to ongoing Russian assaults.

President Zelensky highlighted the nature of the attack on social media, stating, In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded exactly the same way - purely as terrorism. He asserted there was no military justification for targeting civilians, noting that the stricken carriage contained 18 people.

Images released by Ukraine's emergency services depicted one severely damaged carriage still ablaze after the attack.

According to Kharkiv's regional prosecutor's office, the drone attack occurred near Yazykove village, with one drone making direct contact with one train carriage and two others exploding in proximity.

The assault targeted a train traveling from the western border town of Chop to Barvinkove, passing through the regional capital Kharkiv. This line is frequently used by local residents and Ukrainian soldiers on leave.

Officials in Odesa revealed that more than 50 drones were launched during an overnight assault, affecting energy facilities and other civilian structures. The city's military head reported three deaths and 25 injuries, with several floors of a residential building collapsing as a result.

Despite ongoing diplomatic talks aimed at resolving the conflict, aerial assaults by Russia persist, demonstrating a troubling trend in the current military landscape.