Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as terrorism a Russian drone attack on a crowded passenger train that local officials say killed at least five people and injured several others.
More than 200 people were on the train when one of the carriages was hit by the drone, while two additional drones exploded nearby in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.
Zelensky reported that 18 people were on the affected carriage at the time and emphasized that there was no military justification for the attack on civilians.
While Russia has not publicly commented on the incident, it has ramped up drone attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure amid the harshest winter in recent years.
In a separate yet equally tragic event in Odesa, strike casualties included three fatalities and many injuries, as dozens of drones targeted the southern port city, causing extensive damage to residential buildings.
The ongoing Russian assault has left millions in Ukraine without heating, electricity, and water as the conflict, which escalated with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, continues with no peace in sight. Talks held recently in the UAE aimed at resolving the conflict highlighted the unresolved territorial issues but were nonetheless deemed constructive by attending parties.
As the situation unfolds, Ukraine's emergency services continue to respond to the devastating impacts of these strikes.
