In the Kharkiv region, in the city of Lozova, an incident involving an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) occurred, which struck a railway car located near the station. As a result of the attack, people died, and passengers and railway workers were injured. The event took place under conditions of heightened combat danger, characteristic of the frontline zone.
Timeline of events and official data
Alexander Pertsovsky, Chairman of the Board of JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia", confirmed the fact of the strike: "A drone hit a car at the Lozova station. Preliminarily, 2 dead and 3 injured." According to him, all necessary services—both railway and rescue—are working at the scene. The station building, overhead lines, and rolling stock were damaged.
At the same time, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleksiy Synegubov, reported eight injured: five men and three women, some with severe injuries. The discrepancy in figures may be due to the fact that one version counts only the direct victims of the strike, while the other counts all injured, including those who were injured during evacuation or as a result of panic.
Contradictory data
There is a discrepancy in the number of dead and injured between official sources. A representative of "Ukrzaliznytsia" cites 2 dead and 3 injured, while the regional administrator reports 8 injured but does not specify the number of dead. This may indicate that data was collected at different times or based on different criteria (e.g., inclusion of indirect victims). Also, there is no unified version of whether the strike was aimed specifically at the car or at the station infrastructure, and why this particular object became the target.
Context and consequences
Lozova is a strategically important railway junction located in close proximity to the front line. The station is equipped with two shelters, to which a third was recently added. The evacuation of passengers and staff was announced in advance, however, it seems that not everyone managed to use them. According to a source at "Ukrzaliznytsia", one of the deceased probably refused to go to the shelter and remained in the car.
Train traffic to and from Lozova station has been temporarily suspended. Passengers heading to this region are advised to monitor individual notifications in the "Ukrzaliznytsia" mobile application.
Connection with other incidents
This incident occurs against the backdrop of a series of Russian drone attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure. Thus, on the night of August 5, Russia launched a massive strike on Kyiv and the Kyiv region, as a result of which 8 people died at the Kvitneva railway platform in the Brovary district—employees of enterprises waiting for a delayed train. These events highlight the systematic nature of attacks on transport hubs and civilians involved in logistics.
Reaction and safety measures
"Ukrzaliznytsia" is strengthening security measures at frontline stations, including increasing the number of shelters and organizing emergency evacuations. However, as recent incidents show, even precautionary measures are not always able to fully protect people from sudden drone attacks, especially if they occur during peak hours or during train delays.
Photos from the scene, published in the UkrzalInfo Telegram channel, show the damaged car and the work of rescue services. The photos show traces of an explosion, burnt structures, and the presence of medical personnel.
Conclusions
The attack on the car in Lozova is another example of how the Russian side uses drones to strike civilian infrastructure and the population. Despite the presence of shelters and warnings, casualties are inevitable, especially in conditions where people are forced to be in a dangerous zone due to delays or lack of alternatives. The situation requires strengthening control over airspace and increasing the level of readiness of railway services for emergency situations.
