Overnight events in western Russia saw significant disruptions as explosions caused the collapse of two bridges and the derailment of two trains, officials reported on Sunday. The authorities, however, did not disclose the exact nature of the explosions.
In the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, a bridge collapse tragically resulted in a passenger train accident on Saturday. This disastrous incident led to the unfortunate death of seven individuals, including the train’s driver, and left dozens more injured. Russian Railways, a state-run entity, provided these details. Subsequently, another bridge in the Kursk region, also adjacent to Ukraine, collapsed under a freight train, causing it to derail. Local acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein stated that the derailment resulted in a fire, but thankfully, there were no casualties in this second incident.
The Investigative Committee of Russia, the principal criminal investigation body of the country, initially communicated that explosions were responsible for the bridge collapses. However, shortly thereafter, they revised the statement, removing the term “explosions” without any provided clarification. The agency confirmed it would examine the incidents as potential terrorism-related acts.
Rescue operations were swiftly enacted, with emergency personnel working to clear debris at both disaster locations. Among those injured, some were transferred to Moscow for advanced medical care. Government-released photographs from Bryansk displayed train carriages shattered amongst the rubble of fallen concrete from the bridge. Social media platforms circulated footage seemingly captured from vehicles narrowly avoiding the collapse.
Alexander Bogomaz, the Governor of Bryansk, declared a mourning period of three days beginning Monday to honor the victims. Subsequently, Moscow Railway announced that inspectors had uncovered additional damage to railway tracks elsewhere in Bryansk, though any connection to the bridge collapses remains unverified.
Historically, several officials have pointed fingers at pro-Ukrainian saboteurs for targeting Russia’s railway system. Nonetheless, the details of such claims are typically scant, making independent verification challenging.
Separately, Ukraine’s military intelligence, identified as GUR, reported that a Russian military freight train carrying essential supplies like food and fuel was destroyed en route to Crimea. The statement, however, stopped short of alleging GUR’s involvement or linking this event to the bridge incidents. Instead, it highlighted the destruction of Moscow’s crucial supply line to the Russian-occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia and Crimea.
Moscow has continued its strategic movements into the Zaporizhzhia region, part of eastern Ukraine, since the extensive invasion in February 2022. Crimea, under Russian control since its annexation in 2014, remains a geopolitical flashpoint in the ongoing conflict.