The Kremlin is justifying the shelling of the railway with false claims about the Ukrainian Armed Forces using trains

Russian propaganda is spreading disinformation about the alleged use of civilian rolling stock for the needs of the Ukrainian army in order to legitimize attacks on critical infrastructure. According to the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, hostile sources claim that passenger train services are being canceled due to the transfer of railcars to the military in the Kharkiv and Poltava regions. 

This is reported in an official rebuttal by the Center.

In reality, the occupiers provide no evidence of civilian trains being used for military purposes, ignoring the fact that changes to the railway schedule are caused precisely by Russian shelling. Kremlin propagandists use these fabrications to cover up systematic attacks on train stations and passenger trains, which are carried out to terrorize the civilian population. The CPD emphasizes that strikes on railway infrastructure constitute war crimes and have no legitimate military justification.

This wave of disinformation intensified following a recent incident in which a Russian drone struck a passenger train near Sumy, causing damage to civilian property and endangering human lives. Russia is attempting to shift responsibility for the destruction of humanitarian logistics routes by blaming the Ukrainian side. Such narratives are a typical tool of hybrid warfare, aimed at justifying the killing of civilians in the eyes of domestic and international audiences. 

The Center for Countering Disinformation urges people to verify reports and not to trust anonymous sources that promote the aggressor’s position. As of April 9, 2026, rail transport remains one of the main targets for Russian missile and drone strikes in frontline regions. 

In the Kharkiv region, a Russian drone struck a commuter train. No passengers were injured in the attack, but the train driver and his assistant were wounded.

On the morning of March 8, 2026, a Russian drone carried out a targeted strike on the “Kyiv–Sumy” passenger train.