Head of Ukrzaliznytsia on new tactics of Russians: they attack locomotives with precision "shaheds"

Over the past three months, Russia has not only strengthened attacks on Ukrainian railroad infrastructurebut also started using more accurate drones for this purpose. About writes Associated Press.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has publicly reported about one attack on railroad facilities per week. Since mid-summer 2025, this figure has more than doubled to two or three per week, the agency calculated.

"What is happening is not only a matter of numbers, but also of the enemy's approach. Now, having very precise Shahed drones, they are targeting individual locomotives," said the head of the Ukrzaliznytsia Oleksandr Pertsovsky.

Russian drones are now equipped with cameras and radio modems, allowing for real-time course correction and increased accuracy of strikes, Ukrainian military drone expert Serhiy Beskrestnov told the Associated Press.

In his opinion, locomotives are particularly vulnerable to the new technology because they are relatively slow and follow predictable routes.

"If the Russians continue to hit diesel and electric locomotives, the time will come when the track will still be intact, but there will be nothing left to move on it," the expert said.

Natalia Kolesnichenko, a senior economist at the Kyiv-based Center for Economic Strategy, characterized the consequences of Russia's strikes on the railroad as "negative, but insignificant."

Thanks to quick repairs and changes in train routes, she explained, delays are minimized.

• According to the Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction – Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba, since the beginning of August, the Russians have inflicted almost 300 strokes on Ukrzaliznytsia's facilities. The infrastructure is restored within four hours on average.