BRYANSK / KURSK (Realist English). At least seven people were killed and more than 70 injured, including children, in two separate railway incidents overnight in western Russia. The Investigative Committee of Russia has classified both cases as terrorist attacks linked to sabotage.
The first incident occurred at approximately 22:50 Moscow time on May 31, when a road bridge collapsed onto a moving passenger train in the Bryansk region, on the Pilschino–Vygonichi line. Train No. 86 was en route from Klimovo to Moscow and was carrying 388 passengers.
According to official information from Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, the collapse of the bridge caused its debris to crash onto the train, killing the driver, his assistant, and five passengers. At least 70 people were injured, including three children — one of whom remains in critical condition.
Just hours later, around 03:00 on June 1, a second derailment occurred in the Zheleznogorsk district of Kursk region. A freight train traveling over a damaged railway bridge fell onto a nearby road, derailing the locomotive and three cars, which then caught fire. The train crew — the engineer and two assistants — sustained injuries.
Both cases are now under investigation by Russia’s Main Investigative Directorate under Article 205 of the Criminal Code (terrorist act). Emergency investigative teams are working at both scenes to determine the full sequence of events.
Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the Bryansk region, extended condolences to the families of the victims and condemned the attacks as a strike on civilians:
“The terrorists were not targeting infrastructure — they were targeting people. We will do everything possible to assist the injured and restore the rail service.”
Repair crews have been dispatched by Russian Railways (RZD) and the Transport Ministry. RZD confirmed compensation will be provided to the victims’ families.