A passenger train derailed late Saturday in western Russia, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals and injuring 30 more, following a bridge collapse that officials attribute to “illegal interference.”
The incident occurred in the Bryansk region, near the border with Ukraine, where the bridge was reportedly damaged due to “illegal interference in transport operations,” according to a statement by Moscow Railways, though details were not provided.
Russia’s federal road transportation agency, Rosavtodor, said the destroyed bridge passed above the railway tracks where the train was traveling.
Images shared by government agencies from the accident site showed train passenger cars torn apart and scattered among chunks of concrete from the collapsed bridge. Social media videos appeared to capture moments from inside vehicles that barely avoided driving onto the bridge before it fell.
Bryansk regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz said emergency services and government officials were working at the scene. He said seven people died and two children were among the 30 injured.
“Everything is being done to provide all necessary assistance to the victims,” he said. Russian officials have not said who is responsible for Saturday’s incident, but in the past some officials have accused pro-Ukrainian saboteurs of attacking Russia’s railway infrastructure. The details surrounding such incidents, however, are limited and cannot be independently verified.
Ukrainian media outlets reported in December 2023 that Kyiv’s top spy agency had successfully carried out two explosions on a railroad line in Siberia that serves as a key conduit for trade between Russia and China. Ukraine’s security services did not comment on the reports.
Russian Railways confirmed one of the explosions described by Ukrainian media, but did not say what had caused it. There was no comment from Russian authorities on a second explosion.
