Ukrainian locomotives hit in repeated Russian attacks

Ukrainian locomotives have become a visible target in repeated Russian attacks, with more than 200 destroyed or damaged since the start of 2026, Ukrainian officials said. The latest reported strike hit railway facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where two locomotives were damaged and their crews avoided casualties by taking shelter.

Ukraine’s railway network continues to face repeated Russian attacks, with locomotives now increasingly visible among the damaged assets. Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction and Minister for Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, said more than 200 locomotives have been destroyed or damaged⁠ since the beginning of the year.

The latest attacks were reported on Friday evening in the Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine. According to Kuleba, Russian drones struck railway infrastructure there 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 Ukraine railway infrastructure

Ukrainian authorities say Russia has carried out more than 1,000 attacks on railway infrastructure since the beginning of 2026.

Kuleba said each strike leaves further damage and losses for the Ukrainian railway. In Dnipropetrovsk, the damage to two locomotives added to repair needs that Kuleba described as increasingly large and expensive.

“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.

Damage to Ukrainian locomotives has direct operational consequences. Unlike some fixed infrastructure elements, traction rolling stock cannot be replaced quickly, and every lost or damaged locomotive reduces available transport capacity.

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Ukrzaliznytsia and Ukraine’s export flows

Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway operator, remains central to the country’s economy and wartime logistics. According to data cited by Reuters, the railway handles more than 90% of Ukraine’s export shipments⁠.

That role helps explain why railway assets continue to be targeted. Ukraine’s rail network supports exports, domestic transport, evacuations, supply movements, and links between regions.

Despite the repeated strikes, Kuleba said the railway continues to function. He stressed that Ukrainian railway teams are repairing damaged assets and maintaining uninterrupted connections between regions.

Context

Ukraine’s locomotive losses come on top of an already strained traction fleet. In a separate official announcement in November 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia described its locomotive fleet as extremely outdated, with an average age of 46 years and wear exceeding 96%. The company also said Russian military attacks had aggravated the problem and warned that a traction deficit within two to three years could limit the transport of necessary cargo volumes, especially for export industries. In this context, damage to locomotives adds pressure not only to repairs, but also to the reserve of traction needed to keep freight and regional rail operations running.

Repair work requires more resources

Kuleba also warned that the scale of railway repair work is growing and requires substantial funding.

For locomotives, repairs can involve costly parts, lengthy downtime, and specialist industrial capacity.

Repeated attacks may also increase the burden on Ukrzaliznytsia depots, workshops, and technical teams, which have to keep rolling stock in operation while the fleet continues to suffer damage from ongoing strikes.

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