The head of Ukrainian Railways, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, reported that since the onset of the full-scale war, Russian forces have launched approximately 5,000 attacks on the railway infrastructure. This has resulted in significant damage to locomotives, passenger cars, and train stations.
During a recent briefing, Pertsovskyi shared that there are currently 15 regional monitoring teams operating around the clock, connected to various monitoring systems and radar technologies. These teams collaborate closely with the Air Force to align train routes with existing aerial threats.
“We are under surveillance from the enemy, and we do not wish to disclose all of our resources. However, it is important for people to understand that when trains are halted and evacuations occur, it is not merely based on information from social media, but rather the result of real-time monitoring,” Pertsovskyi explained.
He noted that over 4,000 train crew members have received specialized training, a process that will continue as the effectiveness of evacuation procedures relies heavily on the coordination and precision of the train crews’ actions.
“Unfortunately, no one in the world has been trained on how to react when a ‘Shahed’ drone is overhead, but life compels us to adapt. Our colleagues are continuously undergoing training to ensure that evacuation experiences are safe and allow passengers to leave the train quickly while maintaining a level of comfort,” he added.
Ukrainian Railways has faced extensive damage from Russian attacks, prompting the implementation of continuous monitoring and specialized training for staff to enhance evacuation procedures. The ongoing conflict has necessitated adaptive strategies to ensure passenger safety amid aerial threats.