Train bridge explosions kill seven in western Russia near Ukraine border
At least seven people were killed and 30 others injured after two separate bridge collapses caused train derailments in western Russia near the Ukrainian border, according to local authorities.
The first incident occurred late Saturday night in Russia’s Bryansk region, where a bridge gave way as a passenger train carrying 388 people was passing through. Russian officials said the collapse was caused by a blast, which they attributed to “illegal interference in transport operations.” The region borders Ukraine, and the explosion occurred near the town of Klimovo. Graphic images from the scene showed train cars mangled among large pieces of broken concrete. Video circulating online appeared to show vehicles narrowly avoiding the collapsing bridge moments before the disaster.
Hours later, early Sunday morning, a second bridge collapsed in the Kursk region, also allegedly due to an explosion. The incident caused another train derailment, though fewer details were immediately available.
Russia's Investigative Committee stated that both events were being treated as intentional acts, suggesting sabotage. While Russian authorities have not directly blamed anyone, they have previously accused pro-Ukrainian operatives of targeting transport infrastructure within Russia.
Emergency teams and government officials responded quickly to the Bryansk disaster. Among the 30 injured were two children, and authorities are continuing efforts to support those affected.
This isn’t the first time train infrastructure in Russia has been targeted. Ukrainian media reported in December 2023 that Ukraine’s intelligence agency had orchestrated two explosions on a key railway route in Siberia used for trade with China. While Ukraine’s security services declined to comment, Russian Railways acknowledged one of the explosions but did not provide further details.
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