Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the chairman of the board of the Ukrainian Railways joint-stock company (Ukrzaliznytsia), has said that all the recent intensified Russian attacks on the Ukrainian railway system have been exclusively on civilian trains transporting civilian cargo, the CFTS portal reports.
"Mostly trains carrying coal have been hit. It is becoming obvious that the enemy is trying to finish off our coal industry, which continues to support thousands and thousands of families, bleeding out the Donetsk region," Pertsovskyi said.
Previously, the attacks focused on railway infrastructure. "We have proven that this will not work because railway workers repair the damage as quickly as possible and never stop. Now, the enemy has essentially launched a real ‘hunt for locomotives,’” he said.
Pertsovskyi noted that just as the Russians hunt ambulances and evacuation buses in the Kherson, Sumy, and Donetsk regions, they have started chasing and destroying diesel and electric locomotives, knowing full well that there are people inside them. They use drones equipped with video-guided targeting systems and carry increased payloads.
In response, according to Pertsovskyi, Ukrzaliznytsia has revised its operating protocols and deployed multiple early-warning systems.
"Without disclosing details, we now have train crews that are promptly alerted, rerouted away from attacks, and saved. It is a 24/7 operation to stay one step ahead of the enemy. The priority is saving people, and then we take steps to protect equipment. I am grateful to the specialists who have joined our efforts to strengthen defenses, as well as to the shippers with whom we are working to finance the necessary efforts and resources promptly," he said.
