At least seven dead in incident near Ukraine border

Moscow: At least seven people are dead and 30 injured after a Russian passenger train was derailed near the border with Ukraine following a bridge collapse that officials blamed on “illegal interference”.

The bridge in Russia’s Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, was damaged “as a result of illegal interference in transport operations”, Moscow Railways said in a statement, without elaborating. The railway tracks ran underneath the bridge, Russia’s federal road transportation agency, Rosavtodor, said. Emergency services have rushed to the scene of the accident, which Reuters first reported about 7.30am AEST.

Meanwhile, Russia launched an air attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in the early hours of Sunday, local time. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said about 10am (AEST) that Ukraine’s air defence units were trying to repel a Russian air attack on the city.

At the scene of the bridge collapse in Russia, photos posted by government agencies appeared to show passenger cars from the train ripped apart and lying amid fallen concrete from the collapsed bridge. Other footage on social media appeared to be taken from inside other vehicles that narrowly avoided driving onto the bridge before it collapsed.

Bryansk regional governor Alexander Bogomaz said seven people were dead and two children were among the 30 injured.

“Everything is being done to provide all necessary assistance to the victims,” he said.

Russian officials have not said who is responsible for Saturday’s incident, but in the past some officials have accused pro-Ukrainian saboteurs of attacking Russia’s railway infrastructure. The details surrounding such incidents are limited and cannot be independently verified.

Ukrainian media outlets reported in December 2023 that Kyiv’s top spy agency had successfully carried out two explosions on a railroad line in Siberia that serves as a key conduit for trade between Russia and China. Ukraine’s security services did not comment on the reports.