A Russian military train was blown up near the occupied town of Yakymivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast overnight on 31 May, damaging fuel wagons and a vital supply route used by Moscow’s forces to support occupied Crimea, Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency reported.

According to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, the explosion occurred on the railway line close to Yakymivka in the Melitopol district. The freight train, which included fuel tanks, was moving toward occupied Crimea when the blast hit. As a result, freight cars and tanker cars went off the rails, and the track was severely damaged.

HUR described the targeted section as “a key logistical artery of the Russians on the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Crimea.” The agency stated that this disruption undermines Moscow’s ability to maintain military logistics in the south.

In response to the attack, Russian occupation forces declared a standard police “interception plan” across the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, HUR reported. Authorities increased the number of military patrols in local settlements and intensified checks at checkpoints.

Recent attacks and incidents on Russian trains and infrastructure

On 25 May, Ukrainian military intelligence reported a drone strike on another Russian freight train transporting fuel in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Ukrainian drones hit Russian military train with fuel in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast (video)

That same evening, a train in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast was damaged after hitting an explosive device, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

In the early hours of 1 June, two bridge collapses occurred in Bryansk and Kursk oblasts. In Bryansk, a car bridge collapsed onto a passenger train, killing at least seven people. In Kursk, an accident on a railway bridge involving a freight train was reported, with no initial casualties mentioned.

A drone strike carried out by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Defense Ministry destroyed a Russian military train carrying fuel in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast reportedly on 24 May. The operation targeted the Tokmak–Molochansk–Fedorivka railway section, located some 50 kilometers south of the frontline.

According to a 25 May report by HUR, the drone unit of the agency’s active operations division struck the moving train while it was transporting fuel for Russian military equipment. The agency confirmed that “at least three fuel tankers were destroyed,” severely disrupting the occupiers’ logistics.

HUR described the operation as part of a broader armed campaign aimed at “obstructing and paralyzing Russian military logistics” across occupied Ukrainian territories. Footage of the strike was released on HUR’s official website, showing explosions engulfing the tankers.

Rail logistics under increasing pressure

As noted by the defense-focused outlet Militarnyi, the route itself sustained damage during the attack, further complicating Russian efforts to transfer and support troops in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Crimea.

The Cyberboroshno OSINT community reported that the train was hit in the settlement of Novobohdanivka in Melitopol district, located about 50 kilometers from the active combat line.

Militarnyi highlighted ongoing efforts by Russian forces to restore and expand rail infrastructure on occupied territory, particularly in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. These include constructing a new railway connection between Rostov-on-Don and occupied Crimea through Zaporizhzhia’s Berdiansk, intended to reduce reliance on the Crimean bridge and improve transport safety for military cargo. Additionally, Russia plans to resume freight operations with Melitopol and to upgrade the Mariupol–Rostov-on-Don line to strengthen connections with occupied Crimea.