LONDON -- A tragic incident occurred overnight in Russia's western Bryansk region, resulting in the death of at least seven individuals and injuring 66 others when a railway bridge collapsed, causing a train to derail. Local officials reported that the incident was preceded by an explosion on the railway route.
The train operator, Moscow Railway, confirmed that the number 68 passenger train was en route from the border town of Belgorod, specifically from Klimov to Moscow, when the train derailed due to the collapse of the bridge's superstructure. This collapse was attributed to what officials described as "illegal interference in transport operations." According to Bryansk Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz, the train was carrying 388 passengers at the time of the incident.
During an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel, Governor Bogomaz stated that an explosion occurred on the bridge as the Klimov-Moscow train was passing. He further confirmed that, tragically, seven people lost their lives and 66 others sustained injuries, with 47 requiring hospitalization. The situation is dire, and emergency services are actively responding to the crisis.
In a related event, a second railway bridge collapsed in the neighboring Kursk region, which lies to the north of Bryansk. This collapse derailed a freight train, with part of the train plummeting onto a road below the bridge. Acting regional governor Alexander Khinshtein reported that at least one worker was injured as a result of this incident.
Amidst the chaos, Andrei Klishas, the chairman of Russia's Federation Council Committee on State Construction, suggested via Telegram that Ukraine was responsible for the deadly incident in Bryansk. He characterized the explosion and derailment as actions indicative of a terrorist group controlling Ukraine.
The Kremlin has since stated that President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the unfolding situation and was in communication with the Federal Security Service and the Emergencies Ministry for updates.
On the other hand, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Counter-Disinformation Center under Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, refuted claims of Ukrainian involvement. In a Telegram post, he linked these allegations to the upcoming peace talks set to take place in Istanbul, Turkey. Kovalenko emphasized that Ukraine has no incentive to disrupt the Istanbul summit, arguing that the Kremlin is attempting to undermine the talks.
Historically, Ukrainian intelligence services have conducted operations targeting Russia's railway networks to disrupt Moscow's military logistics. While they have reported on various sabotage activities, including arson, they have stopped short of explicitly taking responsibility for such attacks.
For instance, just last Sunday, Ukrainian military intelligence, known as GUR, announced an explosion on a railway in occupied southern Ukraine that derailed a freight train headed towards occupied Crimea. They stated that the explosion led to the derailment of a train carrying fuel tanks and freight cars. This disruption targeted a crucial logistical route for Russian forces operating in the Zaporizhzhia region and Crimea.
Moreover, attacks in the Russian border regions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod have become increasingly frequent over the past three years as a result of Moscow's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These events have included ground incursions by Ukrainian forces, particularly notable in the Kursk region.
