Deadly Bridge Collapse Causes Train Derailment in Russia
A tragic incident unfolded in Russia near the border with Ukraine late Saturday when a highway bridge collapsed onto railway tracks below, causing a passenger train to derail. The disaster, which occurred in the Bryansk region, has resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries.
Emergency services and local officials have confirmed that at least seven people died in the collapse. The incident took place in the Vygonichsky district, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Details of the Bryansk Disaster
The collapsing bridge brought down several heavy trucks onto a moving passenger train traveling from Klimovo to Moscow. The impact was severe, causing the train’s locomotive and several carriages to derail. Online images reportedly showed mangled carriages and passengers helping each other out of the wreckage in the dark.
Initial reports indicated up to 31 people were injured. Bryansk regional governor Alexander Bogomaz later specified there were seven fatalities and that two individuals, including a child, were seriously injured. Another report cited up to 35 injured, including three children, with one child flown to Moscow for treatment. Tragically, the locomotive driver and his assistant were among those killed. All injured passengers were transported to medical facilities in the Bryansk region.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Following the collapse, fire and rescue units, along with additional emergency workers, rescue equipment, and light towers, were rapidly dispatched to the scene to search for individuals who had been on the train and facilitate operations through the night.
Passengers were evacuated from the derailed train and guided to a meeting point at a nearby station. Moscow Railway arranged for a special reserve train to transport them from Bryansk to Moscow to continue their journey.
An investigation into the incident has been launched by Moscow’s interregional transport prosecutor’s office.
Allegations of ‘Illegal Interference’
Moscow Railway and Russian Railways have issued statements alleging that the bridge collapse was a result of “illegal interference in transport operations.” Russia’s federal road transportation agency, Rosavtodor, confirmed the destroyed bridge was situated directly above the railway tracks.
Russian officials have not explicitly identified who might be responsible for this specific incident. However, the incident occurs within a broader context where Russian officials have previously accused pro-Ukrainian saboteurs of targeting Russia’s railway infrastructure. While Reuters could not independently verify such claims, Russia’s Baza Telegram channel, which often cites security sources, reported without providing evidence that the Bryansk bridge might have been “blown up.” Ukraine has not issued any immediate comment regarding the collapse.
Second Bridge Collapse in Kursk
Hours after the Bryansk incident, on Sunday morning, a second bridge also collapsed in Russia, this time along the Trosna-Kalinovka highway in the Kursk region. According to Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, a freight train was traveling over this bridge when it gave way, causing part of the train to fall onto the road below.
The freight train subsequently caught fire, and a driver sustained leg injuries in the second collapse.
These incidents highlight the ongoing tensions and security challenges in regions bordering Ukraine since the start of the full-scale conflict.
References
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7zjy89304o
- https://ca.news.yahoo.com/least-seven-dead-russian-bridge-234048189.html
- https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/illegal-interference-at-least-seven-dead-after-bridge-collapse-causes-train-to-derail-in-russia-20250601-p5m3wz.html
- https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/bridge-collapse-causes-train-derail-russia-killing-3-122385518
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/01/deaths-as-russian-train-hits-collapsed-bridge-after-interference
