Russian strike on the train station in Shostka: one person killed, children among the wounded. The city is without electricity, gas, and water.
On October 4, 2025, the Russian army committed another war crime, launching a double strike on the railway station in the city of Shostka in the Sumy region. One person was killed and at least seven others were injured, including three children.
Double strike on civilian infrastructure
According to the State Emergency Service, the first strike hit the locomotive of the Tereshchenska-Novhorod-Siverskyi commuter train, which was standing on the station tracks. When rescuers and railway workers began evacuating passengers, the Russians launched a second strike, this time on the Kyiv-Shostka electric train, which was carrying passengers.
According to the Sumy Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the body of a 71-year-old man who died at the scene was found in one of the damaged carriages.
“The classification of the criminal proceedings has been changed to Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — the commission of a war crime resulting in the death of a person,” the prosecutor’s office said.
A woman and three children were injured
Among the victims were a woman and her three sons, aged 7, 11, and 14. They were taken to the hospital with multiple injuries. Several other people were hospitalized, and one person is in intensive care in serious condition.
An employee of Ukrzaliznytsia, a suburban train cashier who was performing her duties during the shelling, was also injured.
The city was left without communications
As a result of the strikes, Shostka was left without electricity, gas, and water. Mayor Mykola Noha said that emergency crews are working to restore supplies, but the situation remains difficult:
“This is an unprecedented attack. We urge residents to use gas sparingly and remain in shelters until stability is restored,” he wrote on Facebook.
Local residents confirm in comments that the city is completely without gas, electricity, and water, and that the explosions continued even after the first strike.
Rescuers came under repeated fire
After the first strike, firefighters and medics arrived at the scene, but while extinguishing the fire, the rescuers came under repeated fire. Despite the danger, they were able to completely extinguish the fire and rescue the people who remained in the destroyed carriages.
“Fortunately, none of the rescuers were injured during the second attack,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
Investigation of a war crime
Rescuers, police, prosecutors, railway workers, and medics are working at the scene. Law enforcement officers are documenting evidence of another war crime committed by the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine.
According to Oleg Grygorov, head of the Sumy Regional State Administration, a Russian drone circled over the city after the first explosions, and the attack continued in several waves.
“After the first strike, the evacuation of people began when a second explosion occurred. Rescuers continue to work despite the danger, an operational headquarters has been set up, and restoration and search operations are underway,” Grigorov said.
The editorial staff of Slovo o Slovo expresses its sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and calls on all Christians to pray for the wounded and for the rescuers who are risking their lives to save others.
Double strikes on civilian targets, including railway stations, schools, hospitals, and churches, are a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions and evidence of the military brutality of a regime that will stop at nothing.
