Seven Killed, Dozens Injured as Bridges Collapse in Russian Regions Near Ukraine

At least seven people have been confirmed dead and dozens injured after two separate bridge collapses in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions, both of which border Ukraine. The incidents occurred overnight on Saturday, sparking investigations and raising fresh concerns about sabotage amid ongoing tensions in the region.

In Bryansk, a road bridge dramatically collapsed onto a railway track, causing a passenger train en route to Moscow to derail. Governor Alexander Bogomaz confirmed the death toll via Telegram, noting that 66 others were injured, including three children.

Footage shared on social media showed rescuers navigating the wreckage of a twisted Russian Railways train carriage, with cries for help echoing in the background. “How did the bridge collapse? There are children there!” a distressed woman can be heard shouting in one of the videos.

In a separate but similarly devastating incident, a rail bridge in the neighboring Kursk region collapsed while a freight train was passing. The collapse sent part of the locomotive plunging onto the road below. One of the train drivers sustained leg injuries, and the entire crew was hospitalized, according to Governor Alexander Khinshtein.

While officials have not definitively linked the events, Moscow Railways initially attributed the Bryansk collapse to “illegal interference in the operation of transport,” a phrase later removed from their online statement. Russian prosecutors have launched investigations into both incidents but have not disclosed possible causes.

No official comment has yet been made by Ukrainian authorities. However, Moscow has previously accused Kyiv of orchestrating sabotage operations on its railway infrastructure—claims Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied.

Emergency responders and repair teams were dispatched swiftly to the scenes. In Moscow, ambulances were seen stationed at Kievsky railway station in anticipation of the injured’s arrival.

The twin collapses come just as diplomatic efforts intensify, with a potential meeting between Russian and Ukrainian representatives expected in Istanbul. The timing has fueled speculation about the broader implications of the incidents.

Russia’s railway network has been a repeated target since the war with Ukraine began in 2022, as the Kremlin continues to rely heavily on it for transporting military supplies to the frontlines.

The incidents have revived fears of escalating infrastructure attacks amid the prolonged conflict and underscore the vulnerability of key transportation routes in the region.