Civilian air defense teams have appeared in Ukrainian ports and at Ukrzaliznytsia railway facilities to shoot down Russian strike drones. They are members of the Territorial Defense Forces, not military personnel, Oleksii Kuleba, the deputy prime minister, says, per Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Russia began its mass attacks on Ukraine's trains during the US-initiated peace talks. The use of guided drones rules out any claim of accidental damage.
Ukrainian railways are crucial for the country's defense, as they conduct civilian evacuations and transport Western weapons and humanitarian cargo. Air transport in Ukraine has been suspended since 2022.
"Specifically in the ports and at Ukrzaliznytsia, we are implementing the first teams that ... will be able, and are already downing drones," he notes.
According to Kuleba, Ukrainian logistics has become one of the enemy's main targets.
Russians are destroying key delivery routes to Donetsk
"The enemy has chosen our logistics ... to simply deprive us either of logistics to the ports, logistics to Donetsk Oblast, or frontline logistics," the minister claims.
Nighttime death strike in Kharkiv Oblast
Kuleba added that Russian forces are focusing strikes on frontline territories to cut off eastern Ukraine logistically.
"Just last night (the night of 24 March), they struck a commuter train in the Kharkiv Oblast. There was a fatality. But Ukrzaliznytsia is taking all security measures, including early evacuation of passengers in case of aerial threats," the minister said.
Earlier, experts said that Russia deliberately strikes civilian passenger trains, as the strategic goal is to block evacuation routes while simultaneously creating unbearable living conditions in major cities.
Russia’s objective is to trap civilians in major urban centers to provoke social unrest and force Ukraine into capitulation. The ultimate aim is to generate protests demanding an end to the war but on Russia’s terms.
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