Russia says bridge collapse derailed a train – DW – 06/01/2025
Seven people died when a passenger train derailed in Russia's Bryansk region, close to Ukraine, after a bridge collapsed because of what local officials described as "illegal interference."
A passenger train derailed in Russia's Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, late Saturday after a bridge collapsed because of what local officials described as "illegal interference."
Alexander Bogomaz, the regional governor of Bryansk, said on the Telegram messaging app that seven people died in the collapse, which occurred in the Vygonichskyi district near a federal highway.
"There are seven dead as a result of the collapse of a bridge onto railway tracks. Thirty victims, including two children, were taken to medical facilities of the Bryansk region," he wrote.
"Emergency services and government officials are working at the scene," Bogomaz added. "Everything is being done to provide all necessary assistance to the victims."
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'Result of illegal interference'
The train came off its tracks while it was en route from the Russian capital of Moscow to Klimov in the country's west, Moscow Railways said in a statement.
It said the bridge had been damaged "as a result of illegal interference in transport operations" without elaborating.
Russia's Emergency Ministry said on Telegram that it sent an additional deployment to the fire and rescue units already working at the site.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over three years ago, Russia's border regions, including Bryansk, have faced border shelling, drone strikes and covert raids from Ukraine.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
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