Seven dead, dozens injured after two bridges blast in Russian regions bordering Ukraine PHOTO / UPDATED

At least seven people were killed and 69 injured when two bridges were blown up in separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine ahead of planned peace talks aimed at ending the three-year-old war in Ukraine, Russian officials said on June 1.

A highway bridge over a railway in the Bryansk region was blown up on May 31 night just as a passenger train carrying 388 passengers to Moscow was passing underneath, Russian investigators said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Just four hours later, a railway bridge over a highway was blown up in the neighbouring Kursk region, showering the road with parts of a freight train, the investigators said.

The acting head of the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, reported that a railway bridge collapsed overnight at the 48th kilometre of the Trosna–Kalinovka highway in the Zheleznogorsk district, while a freight locomotive was crossing it. The Investigative Committee stated that the bridge in the Kursk region was also blown up.

As a result of the bridge span collapse, the diesel locomotive and three empty freight cars derailed. A section of the locomotive caught fire, but it has since been extinguished, according to Russian Railways. The train driver sustained leg injuries, and two of his assistants were also wounded.

The crash occurred at around 3:00 a.m., and the train that was crossing the bridge fell onto a roadway, the Investigative Committee reported. The agency has opened two criminal cases in connection with the incident.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, linked the incidents and said explicitly that both bridges were blown up.

10:55 

A tragic accident struck the Bryansk region late on May 31, when a span of an automobile bridge suddenly collapsed onto a passenger train travelling from Klimov to Moscow. 

The incident occurred at 10:44 pm (local time) and resulted in multiple casualties and injuries, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The bridge’s collapse caused significant damage to the locomotive and several carriages, leading to a partial derailment. The train was carrying 388 passengers at the time.

Regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz confirmed that seven people lost their lives, including the train’s locomotive driver. Sixty-six others were injured, with 47 hospitalised and three reported to be in serious condition. Among the injured are two children, including an infant aged approximately five to six months, currently in critical condition, according to the Bryansk Disaster Medicine Centre.

Additionally, a truck driver employed by the agricultural company “Miratorg” sustained injuries while transporting goods on the bridge when it collapsed, the company’s press service said.

Russian Railways stated that the collapse was caused by “illegal interference with transport operations.” Authorities confirmed that the bridge was deliberately blown up.

Emergency services, including rescuers, medical teams, and investigators, have been deployed to the scene. The Ministry of Emergency Situations is actively working to clear debris and rescue any trapped passengers. Approximately 180 specialists and 60 pieces of heavy equipment are involved in the operation.

Passengers have been moved to a temporary shelter established at a local school in Vygonichi, where they are receiving medical attention and psychological support.

By Khagan Isayev