Russian freight train derails after being hit by explosive device

Saboteurs today derailed a Russian freight train and destroyed power cables with explosive devices in a double blow for Vladimir Putin.

The freight train, carrying oil and construction materials, derailed and burst into flames after an explosive device detonated on the rail tracks in the Bryansk region, located just 37 miles from the Ukrainian border.

Video taken shortly after the attack showed several destroyed carriages ablaze and laying on their side, with dark grey smoke billowing into the air.

Local governor Alexander Bogomaz said the explosive device went off ‘on the 136th kilometre’ of the railroad between Bryansk and the town of Unecha – a route used for transporting Moscow’s military supplies.

Russian Railways, the country’s rail operator, said the incident occurred at 10.17am Moscow time (07.17 GMT).

A Russian freight train derailed and burst into flames today after an explosive device detonated on the rail tracks just 37 miles from the Ukrainian border

The train, which was carrying Russian tanks, was targeted in the Bryansk region of Russia , the local governor Alexander Bogomaz said, adding there were no casualties

Video shows several destroyed oil tanker carriages ablaze and laying on their side following the blast, with dark grey smoke billowing into the air

Video shows several destroyed tank carriages ablaze and laying on their side following the blast, with dark grey smoke billowing into the air

It said the locomotive and seven freight wagons were derailed and the locomotive caught fire. 

‘An unidentified explosive device went off at the 136-kilometre mark on the Bryansk-Unecha railway line, derailing a freight train,’ Bogomaz said, adding there were no injuries.

Russian authorities say the region – which borders both Ukraine and Belarus – has seen multiple attacks by pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups in the 14 months since Russia invaded.

Separately, the governor of Russia’s Leningrad region near St. Petersburg said a power line had been blown up overnight and an explosive device found near a second line.

A blast moments after midnight caused the collapse of the main power lines and officials said the attack was of sabotage. 

Governor Alexander Drozdenko posted photos of destroyed power lines and metal supports on his Telegram page on Monday morning. 

Separately, the governor of Russia’s Leningrad region near St. Petersburg said a power line had been blown up overnight and an explosive device found near a second line

A blast moments after midnight caused the collapse of the main power lines and officials said the attack was of sabotage

Governor Alexander Drozdenko posted photos of destroyed power lines and metal supports on his Telegram page on Monday morning

He said Russia’s FSB federal security service was working on the site, and did not say who he believed was responsible for the incident. 

The latest incidents come as Ukraine is expected to stage a counteroffensive against Putin’s forces.

Ukraine’s intelligence chief Major-General Kyrylo Budanov said that some incidents in Russia are orchestrated by Ukraine. 

‘Much of this is no accident,’ he said. ‘Something is constantly on fire [in Russia].

‘Signalling equipment on railways, it lights up several times a day, on various highways constantly for two to three hours, sometimes for five to six hours, traffic gets suspended.’

He admitted Kyiv is behind some of the sabotage attacks. ‘Clearly it doesn’t just happen like this…. I would put it this way: money works wonders.’

The sabotage attacks came after Russia launched a series of missiles at Ukraine this morning, killing one person in Kherson and injuring at least 34 people in the eastern city of Pavlohrad.