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| Russia says blasts led to deadly train crashes in regions bordering Ukraine on eve of peace talks | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Investigators say blasts caused two bridges to collapse, triggering derailments and at least seven deaths | Investigators say blasts caused two bridges to collapse, triggering derailments and at least seven deaths |
| Russian investigators said on Sunday they believed “explosions” had caused two bridges in the border regions of Kursk and Bryansk to collapse overnight, derailing trains, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. | Russian investigators said on Sunday they believed “explosions” had caused two bridges in the border regions of Kursk and Bryansk to collapse overnight, derailing trains, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens. |
| In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, a road bridge collapsed on to a railway line late on Saturday, derailing a passenger train heading to Moscow and killing at least seven people. A rail bridge in neighbouring Kursk also collapsed overnight, derailing a freight train and injuring the driver, officials said. Kursk also borders Ukraine. | In Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, a road bridge collapsed on to a railway line late on Saturday, derailing a passenger train heading to Moscow and killing at least seven people. A rail bridge in neighbouring Kursk also collapsed overnight, derailing a freight train and injuring the driver, officials said. Kursk also borders Ukraine. |
| Videos posted on social media from Bryansk showed rescuers climbing over the mangled chassis of a train belonging to national operator Russian Railways, while screams could be heard in another video. | Videos posted on social media from Bryansk showed rescuers climbing over the mangled chassis of a train belonging to national operator Russian Railways, while screams could be heard in another video. |
| State media said Russian investigators were probing bridge blasts as ’acts of terrorism’. | State media said Russian investigators were probing bridge blasts as ’acts of terrorism’. |
| Russia has been hit by dozens of sabotage attacks since Moscow launched its offensive against Ukraine in 2022, many targeting its vast railroad network. Kyiv says railroads are targeted because they transport troops and weaponry to the Ukraine war. | Russia has been hit by dozens of sabotage attacks since Moscow launched its offensive against Ukraine in 2022, many targeting its vast railroad network. Kyiv says railroads are targeted because they transport troops and weaponry to the Ukraine war. |
| Bryansk’s acting governor said the disaster in his region was the result of an explosion. | Bryansk’s acting governor said the disaster in his region was the result of an explosion. |
| “The bridge was blown up while the Klimovo-Moscow train was passing through with 388 passengers on board,” the Interfax agency quoted Alexander Bogomaz as telling Russia’s public broadcaster. | “The bridge was blown up while the Klimovo-Moscow train was passing through with 388 passengers on board,” the Interfax agency quoted Alexander Bogomaz as telling Russia’s public broadcaster. |
| Russia’s Investigative Committee later said that both bridges collapsed due to explosions. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation. | Russia’s Investigative Committee later said that both bridges collapsed due to explosions. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation. |
| “There are seven dead as a result of the collapse of a bridge on to railway tracks,” said Alexander Bogomaz, the Bryansk region’s governor. | “There are seven dead as a result of the collapse of a bridge on to railway tracks,” said Alexander Bogomaz, the Bryansk region’s governor. |
| At least 66 others were injured, including three children, he said. | At least 66 others were injured, including three children, he said. |
| The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region, said Bogomaz, the Bryansk governor. The district lies 100km (62 miles) from the border with Ukraine. | The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region, said Bogomaz, the Bryansk governor. The district lies 100km (62 miles) from the border with Ukraine. |
| Separately in the Kursk region a rail bridge collapsed, derailing a freight train that was going across. “Last night … in the Zheleznogorsk district, a bridge collapsed while a freight locomotive was passing. Part of the train fell on to the road below the bridge,” said the Kursk region governor, Alexander Khinshtein. | Separately in the Kursk region a rail bridge collapsed, derailing a freight train that was going across. “Last night … in the Zheleznogorsk district, a bridge collapsed while a freight locomotive was passing. Part of the train fell on to the road below the bridge,” said the Kursk region governor, Alexander Khinshtein. |
| “One of the locomotive drivers suffered leg injuries and the entire crew was taken to hospital.” | “One of the locomotive drivers suffered leg injuries and the entire crew was taken to hospital.” |
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| There was no immediate comment from Russian investigators on the cause of either collapse. Moscow Railways, a state-owned railway operator, at first blamed the Bryansk crash on “illegal interference in the operation of transport” in a post online. | There was no immediate comment from Russian investigators on the cause of either collapse. Moscow Railways, a state-owned railway operator, at first blamed the Bryansk crash on “illegal interference in the operation of transport” in a post online. |
| But it later appeared to have removed the reference to “illegal interference”. | But it later appeared to have removed the reference to “illegal interference”. |
| Ukraine, which Russia has blamed for previous incidents, did not immediately comment. | Ukraine, which Russia has blamed for previous incidents, did not immediately comment. |
| An AFP reporter in central Moscow saw ambulances parked at Kievsky railway station awaiting the arrival of injured passengers. Russia’s emergency ministry said a team was on site in Bryansk while Russian Railways said it had sent repair trains. | An AFP reporter in central Moscow saw ambulances parked at Kievsky railway station awaiting the arrival of injured passengers. Russia’s emergency ministry said a team was on site in Bryansk while Russian Railways said it had sent repair trains. |
| Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 there have been continued cross-border clashes including shelling, drone and missile strikes, and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions. | Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 there have been continued cross-border clashes including shelling, drone and missile strikes, and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions. |
| With Reuters and Agence France-Presse | With Reuters and Agence France-Presse |