Russia is targeting the Odesa region’s railways to stop exports

Since the beginning of 2025, Russia has carried out more than 800 strikes on Ukrainian railways, including rolling stock and locomotives. The amount of damage has not yet been disclosed. One of the main areas of attack is traction substations in the Odesa region, said Oleksandr Pertsovsky, head of the Ukrzaliznytsia joint-stock company: “Russia is targeting traction substations in the direction of Odesa in order to stop logistics to ports, to prevent our export industries from delivering their products to Odesa ports. But we are restoring the substations and securing them with diesel locomotives.”

Pertsovsky noted that Ukrzaliznytsia has signed a major agreement on rolling stock, which involves updating locomotives.

He added that the east and north of Ukraine also remain the most difficult areas. There are constant strikes in Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Despite this, the railways remain operational, and stations in a number of cities operate as “fortresses of invincibility.” On the night of November 17, Russian drones struck the port infrastructure of the Odesa region. The attack damaged port equipment and several civilian vessels near the piers.