A train was derailed in the Bryansk region late last week in what initially appeared to be a landslip. The governor of Russia’s Kursk region claimed two Ukrainian drones had been shot down inside Russian territory on Monday.
The Ukrainian government has not acknowledged any operations inside Russia, but the purpose of such a campaign, if it exists, appears to be to hinder Russian logistics and communications.
Russia has attempted to do the same to Ukraine’s rear areas, systematically bombarding railways, fuel depots and other assets in a bid to frustrate efforts to move troops and resources to the front.
Russian rockets hit five railway stations in central and Western Ukraine on Monday morning, Ukraine’s national rail company said. Alexander Kamyshin, the head of Ukrainian Railways, said an unknown number of people had been injured in the strikes, which delayed at least 16 trains.
In Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities said Russia launched missile and bomb strikes on the Azovstal steelworks, where the last remaining Ukrainian garrison and several hundred civilians are sheltering.
Later in the morning, the Russian defence ministry said it would cease fire from 2pm Moscow time to allow the evacuation of civilians from the plant.