Russian strike on Kyiv railway depot kills seven, including six rail staff

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

KYIV, UKRAINE — A Russian ballistic missile strike hit a railway depot and other railway facilities in Kyiv overnight, killing seven people, including six employees of state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia.

Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia, said one additional railway employee was hospitalized with injuries while dozens of workers managed to reach shelters before the strike. The attack caused extensive damage to railway infrastructure and temporarily disrupted train traffic on two sections.

Six Ukrzaliznytsia employees among seven killed

Pertsovskyi said the ballistic strike killed seven people, six of whom worked for Ukrzaliznytsia.

One injured railway employee remained in hospital and was receiving medical assistance, according to the company.

Dozens of other workers were able to take shelter in time, Pertsovskyi said, adding that the railway operator was supporting employees affected by the attack and contacting relatives of those killed.

Pertsovskyi described the railway facilities as the specific focus of the overnight ballistic attack.

“The overnight ballistic strikes on Kyiv deliberately targeted a railway depot and other railway facilities,” he said.

Ukrainian authorities have described repeated Russian attacks on transport and logistics infrastructure as part of Moscow’s continuing campaign against targets across the country.

Russia had not immediately provided a specific public response to the Ukrainian railway operator’s account of the depot strike.

Railway workshop destroyed and fires reported

The attack caused extensive destruction at the railway site, according to Ukrzaliznytsia.

Pertsovskyi said one workshop near the depot was completely destroyed. Several fires also broke out following the strikes, with emergency crews continuing firefighting and recovery operations during the morning.

The railway company said it was working to address the consequences of the attack and restore damaged infrastructure.

Rail traffic was temporarily suspended on two sections because of the damage and emergency response, but both sections were later reopened.

The fact that service resumed relatively quickly limited the immediate impact on passenger and freight movements, although the full extent of damage to the depot and associated railway facilities had not yet been publicly detailed.

Ukrzaliznytsia is a critical component of Ukraine’s wartime transport system, carrying passengers, humanitarian supplies, industrial goods and other cargo across the country.

Kyiv attacked with missiles and drones overnight

The railway strike occurred during a broader Russian attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region during the night of Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.

Ukrainian authorities reported the use of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as attack drones. Air raid warnings remained in effect as Ukrainian forces tracked high-speed targets approaching the capital and missile launches from the Black Sea area.

Authorities initially reported fires in a non-residential area of Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi district. An early report suggesting a residential building had been directly hit was later not confirmed.

Initial Kyiv authorities’ figures cited three deaths and five injuries from the broader overnight attack. Later information showed that the toll had increased as emergency crews worked at several locations.

Reuters subsequently reported, citing Ukrainian authorities, that eight people had been killed and five wounded in Kyiv overall, while another person was killed and nine were injured in Boryspil in the wider Kyiv region.

The seven deaths reported by Ukrzaliznytsia therefore accounted for most of the fatalities recorded in the capital during the overnight assault.

Overall Kyiv-region death toll rises to nine

The broader Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed nine people and injured more than a dozen, according to the latest figures reported by Reuters.

Eight deaths were recorded in Kyiv, while one person was killed in Boryspil. Nine people, including a child, were injured in Boryspil after missiles and drones damaged an apartment building and a business facility, regional authorities said.

Emergency services also reported fires at several locations in the Ukrainian capital.

The Sept. 1 attack marked the sixth consecutive day of Russian strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region, according to Reuters, placing further pressure on civilian life and critical infrastructure.

Air raid alerts affected much of Ukraine during the early hours as authorities warned residents to remain in shelters while the threat of additional missiles and drones continued.

Rail transport briefly disrupted before services resumed

Despite the damage at the depot, Ukrzaliznytsia said railway operations on the two affected sections had been restored after temporary closures.

The company did not immediately provide a detailed estimate of repair costs or specify how long full restoration of the damaged depot would take.

Railway infrastructure has remained particularly important during the war because Ukraine relies heavily on trains for domestic transportation and connections with neighboring European countries.

The system has also played a major role in evacuations, humanitarian transport and the movement of goods since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukrzaliznytsia has continued operations throughout repeated missile and drone attacks, frequently restoring damaged tracks and facilities after strikes.

The latest attack, however, resulted in a particularly heavy human toll for the railway operator, with six employees killed in a single strike.

Russia continues attacks on transport and logistics infrastructure

The strike comes amid continuing attacks on infrastructure across Ukraine.

Reuters reported that Russian attacks have increasingly affected border, energy and logistics facilities. On Sept. 1, a separate strike also halted operations at the Orlivka border crossing on the Danube, affecting a route connecting Ukraine with Romania.

The overnight assault on Kyiv occurred as diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war continued.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had held discussions with U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as the sides worked to arrange further contacts related to peace efforts. At the same time, fighting and long-range strikes by both Russia and Ukraine have continued.

Russia and Ukraine have both denied deliberately targeting civilians during the war. Reuters said it could not independently verify all battlefield and damage reports from the latest attacks.

For Ukrzaliznytsia, recovery work at the damaged Kyiv railway facilities is continuing while the company provides support to the families and colleagues of those killed.

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