Russia has destroyed or damaged more than 200 Ukrainian locomotives since the beginning of 2026, according to authorities in Kyiv. The most recent attacks targeted railway infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where two locomotives were damaged, but the crews managed to take cover in time.
Russia continues to strike at Ukraine’s railway infrastructure, with an increasingly visible focus on locomotives. Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction and Minister for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, stated that over 200 locomotives have been destroyed or damaged since the beginning of 2026.
The most recent attacks took place on Friday evening in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian official, Russian drones struck the railway infrastructure and damaged two locomotives.
“The most important thing is that the locomotive crews were rescued. During the drone threat, employees were in shelters, so there were no deaths or injuries,” Kuleba said.
Over 1,000 attacks on the railway
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia has attacked the railway infrastructure more than 1,000 times since the beginning of the year.
Kuleba said that each attack leaves behind new damage and losses for the Ukrainian railway. In the case of the attack in Dnipropetrovsk, two locomotives were damaged, and repair work is becoming increasingly extensive and costly.
“Since the beginning of the year alone, over 200 locomotives have already been destroyed or damaged. The volume of repair work is constantly increasing and requires significant financial resources,” said the Ukrainian official.
Attacks on locomotives have major operational implications. Unlike certain fixed elements of the infrastructure, traction rolling stock is difficult to replace quickly, and the loss of locomotives directly affects transport capacity.
Ukrzaliznytsia, the Backbone of Exports
Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway operator, plays a critical role in the country’s economy and in wartime logistics. The railway accounts for over 90% of Ukraine’s export shipments, according to data cited by Reuters.
This role explains why the railway infrastructure has become a constant target of Russian attacks. The Ukrainian railway network is used for exports, domestic transport, evacuations, resupply, and maintaining connections between regions.
Despite repeated attacks, Kuleba emphasized that the Ukrainian railway continues to operate, repair damaged infrastructure, and ensure uninterrupted connections between regions.
Increasingly Costly Repairs
Kuleba warned that repair work is constantly increasing and requires significant funding.
In the case of locomotives, repairs may involve expensive components, long downtime, and specialized industrial capacity.
Repeated attacks may also place additional pressure on Ukrzaliznytsia’s depots, workshops, and technical teams, which must keep a fleet of rolling stock—damaged by continuous attacks—in service.
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