Crimea: All passengers evacuated from trains after drone strike
What's the story
All passengers on trains in Crimea have been evacuated following a drone attack on a Moscow-Simferopol train. The Grand Service Express rail operator confirmed the evacuation, stating that buses are now transporting passengers to Simferopol. The affected trains include No. 68 Moscow-Simferopol, No. 77 St. Petersburg-Simferopol, and No. 7 St. Petersburg-Sevastopol, all of which departed on June 6.
Attack details
Assistant driver killed, no passenger harmed
According to the Russian news agency TASS, the drone attack, attributed to Ukraine, killed the assistant driver of the train and injured the driver. However, no passengers were harmed in the incident. The attack comes amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Notably, this isn't the first time Ukraine has targeted Russian infrastructure with drone strikes.
Escalating tensions
Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian soil
Recently, Ukraine launched a long-range drone attack on military and energy infrastructure near St. Petersburg and in the Krasnodar Krai region, with a naval base being the most notable target. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that naval arsenals and a military base were targeted in these strikes, highlighting Ukraine's expanding ability to hit targets far beyond front lines.
Retaliatory measures
Russia intensifies strikes on Ukraine amid escalation
In response to these threats, Russia has intensified its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine. The recent escalation comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal for direct talks with Zelenskyy. Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the region has been a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.