Russia makes more precise drones and is using them to attack Ukraine’s
vital rail network
[October 15, 2025]
By ILLIA NOVIKOV
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — When Russian drones smashed into the Shostka train
station in northeastern Ukraine earlier this month, they killed a
71-year-old man, injured at least eight people and left train cars
buckled by fire and riddled with shrapnel holes.
It was one of the latest examples of what Ukrainian officials say has
been a surge since mid-summer in attacks on railways, a critical artery
for commercial and military logistics.
They are part of Russia's broader targeting of infrastructure that now
is being carried out with greater precision thanks to advances in
long-range drone technology that include onboard video feed.
In the attack in Shostka, less than 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the
Russian border, two explosives-laden drones struck two commuter trains
in quick succession.
Russia has stepped up railway attacks over the past three months,
seeking to sow unrest in Ukrainian regions it borders by depriving
people there of rail connections, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, the CEO of the
Ukrainian state railway, told The Associated Press.
“What happens is not just about the quantity, it’s also the approach of
enemy forces. Now, as they have very precise Shahed drones, they are
targeting individual locomotives,” Pertsovskyi said.
Attacks have picked up pace
Ukrainian railway managers have prided themselves on speedy repairs and
their ability — so far — to keep the trains running despite repeated
strikes, but officials and analysts warn that advances in Russian drone
capabilities and the growing tempo of attacks pose a serious threat.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022, railway
officials have publicly reported about roughly one attack on railways
per week. Since mid-summer of this year, that rate has more than doubled
to about two or three per week, according to an AP review of public
reports.
However, what is publicly reported is only a small fraction of the
overall number of attacks on all rail-related infrastructure, which
could include damage to power lines, electrical substation, rail tracks,
train stations and other structures.
Oleksii Kuleba, a deputy prime minister in charge of restoration and
development, said there have been 300 attacks on railway infrastructure
since August alone — which would represent about 10 attacks per week.
Ukraine’s rail network carries more than 63% of the country’s freight
and 37% of passenger traffic, according to the State Statistics Service.
It is also essential for moving grain and metal industry exports to
seaports and borders, and for transporting military aid from allied
nations.
Russia developing new drone capabilities
Russian forces have added a key upgrade to their drone fleet since the
summer, according to Serhii Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian military and drone
expert whose team studies intercepted Russian drones.
Cameras and radio modems, which send and receive data wirelessly, have
been fitted to various types of long-range strike drones. That allows
operators to adjust a drone’s flight path in real time, sharply
increasing precision compared to preprogrammed models.
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A passenger train is seen damaged following Russia's drone attack on
a railway station in Shostka, Sumy region, Ukraine, Saturday, Oct.
4, 2025. (AP Photo/Kordon Media)
Beskrestnov said locomotives are particularly vulnerable to the new
technology, because they are relatively slow and follow predictable
routes.
“If the Russians keep hitting diesel and electric locomotives, the
time will come very soon when the track will still be intact — but
we’ll have nothing left to run on it,” he said.
The modified drones can fly up to 200 kilometers (124 miles) into
Ukrainian territory while streaming video back to operators in
Russian-held areas, Beskrestnov said.
An official at Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, speaking on condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters,
said Ukrainian forces also have recovered and examined a Geran-type
drone fitted with a civilian camera and radio modem. The Geran is a
Russian variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed.
The official said the findings suggest that Moscow is actively
testing and refining new technical solutions.
He said the cameras also allow Russian operators to identify
Ukrainian air defense systems and assess damage on the ground.
Express repairs keep the country running
Throughout the war, Russian drones and missiles have repeatedly
targeted railway infrastructure, mostly in regions near the front
line. In March, the rail operator also endured a major cyberattack
that disrupted online ticketing and other services for a week.
Ukraine’s repair crews are racing to match the pace of Russian
strikes. Piles of debris from missile attacks are cleared within
hours, and utility teams typically restore power and water within a
day after most strikes on Kyiv and other cities.
Rail crews operate on a similar timeline. In Kyiv, railway repair
team leader Maksym Shevchuk, 30, recalled the day a missile
destroyed 12 meters (39 feet) of track. “Traffic on the track was
fully restored in half a day,” he said.
Freight volumes carried by rail from January through August 2025
dropped 11.7% year over year, while passenger traffic declined by
4.2%, according to the State Statistics Service, which has not
stated a reason for the decline.
Nataliia Kolesnichenko, senior economist at the Kyiv-based Center
for Economic Strategy, described the impact so far as “negative but
marginal,” crediting rapid repair work and train rerouting that
keeps delays to a minimum.
Pertsovskyi said staff take pride in keeping trains moving despite
the strikes. “For us, it is paramount to show Ukrainians — and the
enemy — that these attacks are not going to bring the expected
results,” he said.
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