On October 29, the Russian military launched a strike on a civilian electric train and the railway station in Dnipro. According to the carrier, 14 people were killed and another 14 sustained injuries of varying severity as a result of the drone hit. Ukrzaliznytsia published details of what was happening at the station immediately before the attack and explained why the death toll turned out to be so high.
What happened at the station before the attack
As the carrier notes, an air raid alert was announced in the city before the strike, and a monitoring team recorded the approach of a jet drone. Evacuation announcements were broadcasted at the station and on trains, railway employees inspected the carriages and urged passengers to immediately move to shelter. Despite this, a significant number of people remained near the trains at the moment of the attack, which, according to the company's assessment, led to a high number of casualties.
Why passengers did not go to shelter
Railway workers emphasize that instructions were followed: the alert was announced, the approach of the UAV was recorded, announcements about the need to take cover were made, and the carriages were checked by the staff. At the same time, many passengers ignored the calls and stayed close to the trains at the moment of the strike. According to the carrier, this was precisely the cause of mass losses among civilians who were waiting for departure or had just stepped off the trains at that moment.
Ukrzaliznytsia's position: safety rules are a matter of life
The company once again urged everyone to "strictly follow instructions and safety rules at stations, around railway infrastructure, and on trains." "No humanity can be expected from the enemy — therefore it is critically important for all of us not to give them a chance, to protect ourselves, and to follow the rules," Ukrzaliznytsia stated. They added that today every station, platform, and train in Ukraine is a priority target for the enemy, and train traffic continues despite the danger.
Context: a series of strikes on civilian targets on October 29
The strike on Dnipro was part of a massive attack carried out by the Russian military on the same day across several cities. In addition to the Dnipropetrovsk region, the occupiers struck civilian objects in Chernihiv, Kremenchuk, and Zaporizhzhia. As a result of the series of attacks, dozens of civilians were killed and injured, with children among the victims. The carrier assured that railway workers continue their work and urge passengers to strictly follow the instructions of the staff: "We can continue moving and protect lives only when we follow all the rules at every station."
