Russian forces have intensified drone strikes against Ukraine's rail network, while Ukrainian forces have deployed new interceptor drones to counter Russian jet-powered aircraft.
Key facts
- •A strike on a suburban commuter train in the Kharkiv region on September 18 left one person dead and several injured.
- •The SSU successfully intercepted two Russian Geran-5 jet-powered drones on September 19 using a new interceptor drone.
- •Ukraine's rail network spans approximately 20,000 kilometres and has become a primary transit method due to closed airspace.
- •Russian drone strikes have been reported in various locations, including near the Polish border and on routes between Odesa and Dnipro.
- •President Zelenskyy confirmed the SSU developed the new interceptor technology specifically to counter jet-powered Russian drones.
Russian forces have increased drone strikes targeting Ukraine’s 20,000-kilometre rail network, hitting passenger trains and infrastructure. Amid these attacks, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has successfully deployed a new interceptor drone to counter Russian jet-powered Geran-5 drones. Ukrainian officials confirmed two successful interceptions of these Russian drones on September 19.
By the numbers
Escalating Attacks on Rail Infrastructure
Russian drone strikes have increasingly targeted Ukraine's rail system, which serves as a critical transportation artery due to the closure of the country's airspace. On September 18, a strike on a suburban commuter train in the Kharkiv region resulted in one death and multiple injuries. Other incidents have occurred near the Polish border and along routes between major cities like Odesa and Dnipro. Passengers have reported being forced to evacuate trains during air-raid alerts, sometimes waiting in rural areas near tracks while strikes occur nearby. In one instance, a passenger reported hearing explosions and seeing infrastructure fires after being evacuated from a train near Kropyvnytskyi.
New Ukrainian Interceptor Technology
To mitigate the threat from Russian jet-powered Shahed and Geran-5 drones, the SSU has developed and deployed a specialized interceptor drone. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the development and successful use of this technology, with military counterintelligence personnel conducting two successful interceptions on September 19. Footage of the interception was released by the president to demonstrate the new capability.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Ukrainska Pravda (English), CBC World.
