Anurag Kumar
Tuesday marked the second consecutive day that an explosive device derailed a Russian freight train in a region bordering Ukraine, ahead of an expected counteroffensive by Kiev.
In recent days, Russia and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, have been the target of multiple assaults.
In the past four days, two trains have been derailed by explosives, a suspected drone has caused a massive fire at an oil depot in Crimea, and power lines have exploded near Saint Petersburg.
The demonstrations occur as Russia prepares to observe May 9, a holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over the Nazis that has become a central event during the presidency of Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine has maintained its customary stance of not claiming responsibility for the attacks, which occurred as Kyiv proclaimed it is finalizing preparations for a spring offensive announced weeks earlier.
Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region in western Russia, stated on Tuesday that the train was derailed by a “unidentified explosive device.”
He stated that the bomb went off at Snezhetskaya station, outside of Bryansk, a city of approximately 370 thousand inhabitants near the Ukraine and Belarus borders.
“A locomotive and several wagons of the train derailed,” he reported, adding that no one was injured.
On Monday, a similar detonation near Unecha, in the same region but closer to the Ukraine border, caused a train to derail and catch fire.
Throughout its year-long offensive, the Kremlin has attempted to portray Russia as secure while its forces fight in Ukraine.
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Tuesday morning, it acknowledged a security threat.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated, “Of course, we are aware that the Kiev regime, which is responsible for a number of these attacks — terrorist attacks — intends to continue along this path.”
All of our intelligence services are taking every precaution to ensure national security.
Rail sabotage
Russian Railways also issued a statement stating that the derailment was caused by “unauthorized persons interfering with rail transport operations.”
No mention of an incendiary device was made.
The state operator reported that the incident occurred between Snezhetskaya and the adjacent village of Belye Berega at 7:47 p.m. local time (16:47 GMT).
It was reported that the front locomotive and “around 20 wagons” were derailed, and rail traffic in that section was suspended.
Since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, there have been numerous allegations of sabotage on Russian railways, but this week is the first time officials have confirmed attacks.
More than 65 people, including a third of minors, have been detained on charges of railway sabotage in around 20 regions of the country since the fall, according to a tally published in mid-April by the independent media outlet Mediazona.
Ukraine asserts that it has spent months preparing a counteroffensive intended at expelling Russian forces from the territory they currently control in the east and south.
Denmark has announced that it will provide $250 million in military aid to Ukraine in support of the forthcoming Ukrainian offensive.
The package included mine clearing vehicles, ammunition, and financial support for the acquisition of air defense, according to a statement from the Danish defense ministry.
“The equipment is necessary to pave the way for Ukrainian tanks and mechanized infantry on the front line,” said Troels Lund Poulsen, the interim defense minister.
