KYIV, Jan 28 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a recent attack by Russia, describing it as terrorism after a drone strike targeted a train in eastern Ukraine, killing five people.
The attack occurred in the Kharkiv region, where Russian forces reportedly hit a passenger train carrying nearly 200 passengers, according to Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who shared the details on social media. The strike came just hours after drones struck the southern city of Odesa, resulting in three deaths and 25 injuries.
The incident is part of a series of intensified Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving thousands without power amid freezing winter temperatures. In Kyiv alone, over 700,000 residents are facing power outages following last week’s assault on the capital, said Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Tuesday’s train strike occurred days after peace negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian representatives aimed at ending nearly four years of conflict.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy strongly condemned the attack, calling it terrorism. “There is not and cannot be any military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage,” Zelenskyy stated on social media. He emphasized that such strikes undermine ongoing peace efforts and urged international allies to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war.
“Every such Russian strike erodes the diplomacy that is still ongoing and undermines the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war,” Zelenskyy added.