By Olha Hembik | 2026-02-12

A single rail line now carries much of Ukraine's connection to Europe -- passengers fleeing war, military cargo and humanitarian aid bound for the front. In recent weeks, Russian forces have zeroed in on that corridor, striking trains, bridges and depots along the Kyiv-Kovel route that links the capital to Poland.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion and the suspension of most air travel, railways have become a primary route between Kyiv and the European Union. The Kyiv-Kovel line runs northwest from the capital through the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Rivne and Volyn regions to the Polish border.

Serhii Beskrestnov, a military communications and electronic warfare expert, wrote on Facebook on December 26 that two days prior, "Shaheds attacked a train and then attacked a repair crew." On separate occasions, the drones have also attacked a railway bridge and a locomotive depot.

Beskrestnov said the strikes form part of a concentrated effort.

"All these attacks are directed at the Kyiv-Kovel railway line," he wrote, noting that the the goal is to sever the Ukrainian-Polish logistics link and predicting the attacks will continue.

A December 22 drone strike near Korosten in the Zhytomyr region derailed a freight train and damaged a passenger locomotive traveling on an adjacent track, according to Ukrainian Railways.

Former Polish Deputy Labor Minister Piotr Kulpa said the strikes will not halt aid flows.

"For Europe, this is an indication of unity, evidence of pan-European solidarity," he told Kontur.

Junctions in crosshairs

The new year brought fresh attacks. Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said January 1 that enemy strikes hit railway infrastructure nationwide, from the Odesa region to Sumy and Volyn. In Kovel, buildings at a locomotive depot sustained damage, with about seven drone strikes recorded in the area.

Initially, rail schedules held. By January 11, however, more than 60 trains -- including international and long-distance routes -- were running off schedule, Ukrainian Railways reported. Crews repaired damage and rerouted trains to restore service.

"Towards morning, there was a series of further incoming attacks on the railway infrastructure, which means we're entering this week with the same focus and composure, so we can once again restore, transport and evacuate," said Oleksandr Pertsovsky, chairman of the board of Ukrainian Railways, responding to another Russian strike on January 12.

He previously told Ukrinform that Russia launched a wave of large-scale Shahed drone attacks on railway infrastructure, including key junction stations, in July.

"Examples include the attacks on the Lozova Station, Synelnykove Station and Koziatin Station. That is, they are hitting junction stations basically across the entire country," Pertsovsky said.

Russia aims to destroy entire junctions by simultaneously targeting passenger stations, locomotive depots and power substations, he noted. Despite the pressure, Ukrainian Railways has not canceled trains.

"We find ways to change the schedule, but we always go," Pertsovsky said.

Military analyst Jerzy Mazur drew parallels with Poland. From November 15 to 17, 2025, saboteurs detonated explosives along the Warsaw-Dorohusk line, a key link to Ukraine.

"In essence, this is the same transport link to Ukraine, to Kyiv," he told Kontur.

"The methods are varied, but the goal is always the same: to intimidate Europeans, prevent new deliveries of humanitarian and military aid, and show that Russia is still strong."

Mines and allegations

Beskrestnov said half of the Shaheds striking the Kyiv-Kovel line recently carried magnetic mines dropped near targets.

"It should be remembered that these mines will be eliminated on their own within a few days. That is, everything that was dropped on January 12 but not found will soon start exploding," he wrote January 14.

"They were found by sight in the summer, but how now? It goes into the snow and that's it."

On January 18, a railway employee in the Rivne region discovered a suspicious metal object near the tracks. Bomb disposal experts from the regional police walked about three kilometers (1.9 miles) along the rails to reach the site. They found two PTM-3 anti-tank mines buried in snow and detonated them on site to prevent a passing train from triggering the magnetic sensors. Police said enemy drones likely dropped the munitions during recent air raids and urged residents to report suspicious objects.

Beskrestnov also alleged a Belarusian role in the drone campaign.

"Despite the fact that the Shaheds are coming from the Russian Federation, I continue to insist that they are being controlled from the Republic of Belarus," he said.

On December 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited intelligence findings after a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

"Equipment used in strikes against Ukraine is being placed on residential buildings in Belarusian settlements near the border," Zelenskyy stated, adding that "antennas and other equipment that help guide Shaheds to targets in our western regions have actually been placed on the rooftops of ordinary five-story residential buildings."

"It's a shame that Belarus is surrendering its sovereignty to Russia's aggressive ambitions," he added.

International relations expert Stanislav Zhelikhovsky said if Ukraine fails to withstand Russia and its ally Belarus, NATO members could face similar aggression.

"The West understands this. That is why they are actively helping Ukraine, working on building a strong Europe that is resilient to Russian threats," he told Kontur.

Beskrestnov said Ukraine must shield the Kyiv-Kovel line with electronic warfare and anti-aircraft drones.

"We need to use electronic warfare to officially confirm that Shahed command posts are operating from Belarus and report all of this to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine," he said.

"Until this railway branch is protected, trains, freight cars, and passengers are at risk."