MOSCOW: A Russian freight train derailed in the western region of Bryansk, Russia, on Monday after hitting an “explosive device” on the rail tracks, according to local governor Alexander Bogomaz. The incident occurred on the railway between Bryansk and the Unecha town, towards the border with Ukraine, where tensions have been high amid Kyiv’s expected counter-offensive.
Governor Bogomaz said there were no casualties, but the locomotive of the freight train had derailed due to the explosion. Rail traffic in the area had been suspended, and emergency services were working at the scene.
The attack came a day after a Ukrainian strike killed at least four people in a Russian village in the Bryansk region. Although there has been no confirmation of who was responsible for the explosion, there have been reports of sabotage on railroads in Russia and its ally Belarus throughout Moscow’s more than a-year-long Ukraine offensive.
Power lines exploded in Russian Leningrad region
In a separate incident, the governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, said local electricity lines had been blown up through an “explosive device.” He later added that the FSB security service had opened a criminal case on “sabotage.”
The incidents highlight the tense situation between Russia and Ukraine, which has escalated in recent months. Moscow has been accused of amassing troops near the border, while Kyiv has accused Russia of supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian government has yet to issue a statement on the latest incidents, and it remains unclear whether they are connected.
