Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a passenger train that local officials say killed at least four people.
Zelensky stated that another four people were reported missing after the train, which had more than 200 passengers on board, was struck in Kharkiv, a region in northeastern Ukraine.
In a separate incident, officials in the southern port city of Odesa reported three fatalities from an overnight drone strike attributed to Russia.
This attack comes as Russia has intensified its drone and missile strikes targeted at Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure, coinciding with the nation facing one of its harshest winters in years.
Millions of Ukrainians are currently without heating, electricity, and water as a result of these assaults. The conflict escalated after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Moscow now occupying approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.
In his remarks, Zelensky emphasized that targeting civilians is unjustifiable and that a drone strike on a civilian train would be universally denounced as terrorism. He indicated that the train was struck near the village of Yazykove.
The regional prosecutor's office confirmed that a drone hit one carriage directly while others exploded nearby, causing devastation to the train.
Separately, officials in Odesa reported that more than 50 drones were launched targeting energy and civilian infrastructure, resulting in three deaths and numerous injuries.
International Responses and Ongoing Conflict
Despite ongoing peace talks, including discussions involving U.S. negotiators, the conflict continues to escalate, further complicating humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Upcoming negotiations are expected to focus on unresolved territorial disputes.
