On Wednesday, Russian drones targeted a passenger bus and a train in southern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, according to Ukrainian authorities. This attack is part of Moscow’s ongoing campaign against transport infrastructure and logistics.
A regional governor shared a photo on Telegram depicting a white vehicle with shattered windows, accompanied by what appeared to be blood running down its side. Reuters has yet to authenticate this image.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack on social media, stating, “There is no military logic to this, just another act of brutality,” and urged the United States and European nations to intensify sanctions against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discusses the drone threat from Russia with CBC News correspondent Adrienne Arsenault, expressing his disapproval of the U.S. notion of a ‘win-win’ resolution and addressing rising internal demands for a wartime election.
In recent months, Moscow and Ukraine have engaged in escalating strikes targeting logistics and other economic assets to undermine each other’s war efforts and weaken morale.
With Ukraine’s airspace closed since the onset of Russia’s large-scale invasion in 2022, buses and trains have become crucial transportation means for everyday Ukrainians and businesses alike.
The drone assault on the passenger bus close to the frontline city of Nikopol resulted in the deaths of four men and one woman, as reported by police.
Additionally, seven individuals sustained injuries during the attack, according to Oleksandr Hanzha, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, who also shared the photo.
There was no immediate response from Russian officials regarding this incident. Both Ukraine and Russia maintain that they do not intentionally target civilians in the conflict that erupted following Moscow’s comprehensive invasion of its neighbor.
Attack on passenger train
In a separate incident, a Russian drone also struck a passenger train in the southern Mykolaiv region, according to the acting regional governor.
Heorhii Reshetilov stated on Telegram that all 168 passengers and crew were evacuated without any injuries. He noted that the train was targeted two additional times following the initial attack.
Firefighters respond to a passenger train locomotive that was hit by a Russian drone strike in Mykolaiv region, Ukraine, on Wednesday. (State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters)
Zelenskyy mentioned that, besides the Mykolaiv train incident, a locomotive in Kovel, located near the border with Poland, was also involved in a strike.
These events follow previous attacks, including one on a train near Ukraine’s border with NATO-member Poland last Sunday, just after European diplomats and political leaders had utilized the same route.
Russian assaults on Ukrainian railways have escalated significantly, with the state rail operator reporting that 120 passenger cars, 304 locomotives, and 43 railway stations have been hit this year, as stated to Reuters.
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The railway operator reported that since the beginning of the year, Russian forces have attacked a total of 1,700 railway facilities, a rise from 1,206 facilities in 2025 and 842 in 2024.
“Russian forces deliberately strike passenger trains, locomotives, stations, and railway routes, fully aware of their critical significance for civilians, evacuations, and the Ukrainian economy,” stated Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, on X.
“This is not collateral damage. It represents a systematic pursuit of civilians and an effort to disrupt everyday life,” he added.
Upcoming election barometer of support for war: Putin
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin characterized the participation in the forthcoming parliamentary election as an indicator of support for Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, encouraging citizens to vote.
Russia will hold a three-day parliamentary election beginning Friday to elect members to its 450-seat lower house, the State Duma, known for consistently endorsing the Kremlin’s policies.
This marks the first parliamentary election since Russia commenced its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022 and comes at a time when opinion polls indicate growing apprehension among Russians regarding the conflict’s impact on their lives, exacerbated by economic challenges and the exclusion of most anti-war candidates from the ballot.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the public ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election in Moscow, Sept. 16, 2026. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Reuters)
The political landscape is tightly regulated, and the ruling United Russia party, which has Putin’s backing, is widely anticipated to maintain its supremacy.
In a televised statement prior to the election, Putin referenced the conflict in Ukraine and Russian-controlled territories, asserting that participating in the vote would bolster Russia’s triumph and showcase national unity amid outside pressures.
“Your choice and determination will again illustrate that millions support our troops, that we are a cohesive nation united by shared values, historical memories, and love for our homeland, and that no one can divide or intimidate us or undermine our statehood and socio-political system,” Putin remarked.
He emphasized that the election would serve as a collective response to those attempting to weaken Russia, impede its progress, and strip it of its sovereignty and right to self-determination.