---
title: "Drone attack on a passenger train in Zaporizhzhia: impact aftermath and evacuation"
description: "Russian drones attacked a passenger train in the Zaporizhzhia region. The locomotive sustained serious damage and caught fire, but thanks to a timely evacuation, there are no casualties. Passengers are being transported to the city by bus, and movement on the section has switched to dispatcher mode. 🚂💨🚨"
date: 2026-07-18T10:52:02.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/drone-attack-on-a-passenger-train-in-zaporizhzhia
tags: [ukraine, zaporizhzhia, ukrzaliznytsia, drone-attack, train-accident]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Drone attack on a passenger train in Zaporizhzhia: impact aftermath and evacuation

![Aftermath of drone attack on passenger train in Zaporizhzhia: burning locomotive and smoke over the tracks](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/18/ataka-dronov-na-passazhirskij-poezd-v-zaporozhe/ataka-dronov-na-passazhirskij-poezd-v-zaporozhe-1.webp)

On July 18, a critical incident occurred in the railway transport sector of the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian unmanned aerial vehicles struck a moving train. As a result of the attack, the locomotive and the passenger cars attached to it sustained serious damage.

### Sequence of events and evacuation

According to the press service of "Ukrzaliznytsia" and the Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport, Mykola Kalashnyk, the attack was recorded during the day. A key factor in preventing human casualties was the work of the railway company's monitoring group. Thanks to the timely warning, passengers, as well as the locomotive and train crews, were evacuated in time before direct contact with the target.

Currently, there are no casualties among people. All citizens who were on the train were evacuated to safe shelters. Bus transportation has been organized to deliver them to Zaporizhzhia.

### Visual aftermath of the strike

Published photographs from the scene demonstrate the scale of destruction. The blue-painted locomotive is completely engulfed in flames. Thick black smoke is billowing from under the hood and the driver's cab. Metal structures are deformed, and signs of explosive impact are visible. The cars following the locomotive also have damage, although the main impact was on the front part of the train.

### Changes in the schedule

In connection with the incident, "Ukrzaliznytsia" has made adjustments to operations on this route. Train movement in the Zaporizhzhia region is now carried out according to a dispatcher schedule. This decision is dictated by the need for enhanced control by monitoring groups to ensure the safety of transportation.

Passengers planning trips to or from Zaporizhzhia are advised to closely monitor personalized notifications in the official mobile application of the railway company. Current data on flights and possible changes to the schedule are published there.

### Context of the attack

The incident in the Zaporizhzhia region occurred against the backdrop of a large-scale attack by Russian armed forces on Ukraine. On the night of July 18, Russia launched 7 missiles and 90 strike drones at the country's territory. The main direction of the strike was the Odesa region, where hits on port infrastructure were recorded, resulting in deaths and injuries.

Air defense forces managed to shoot down most of the hostile targets, however, debris from shot-down drones and missiles fell in 5 locations. A total of 19 hits were recorded on various objects. A separate incident is noted regarding a strike on a ship under the flag of the Marshall Islands in the port of Odesa, where crew members were injured.