New Russian strategy against Ukrainian economy via rail attacks

New Russian strategy

Johan Huovinen, lieutenant colonel and teacher of military strategy at the Norwegian Defense Academy, sees a shift in Russian strategy. Previously, the attacks were focused on Ukrainian electricity, heating and water systems.

- But it does not seem to have broken down the Ukrainian citizen, he says.

Now Russia is instead attacking the Ukrainian economy, which is largely dependent on grain exports via the ports on the Black Sea.

By 2025, rail accounted for 66 percent of grain shipments to ports, according to the USDA.

- Targeting locomotives is a way of influencing the draft horse in the system. My view is that this is part of a new Russian strategy in 2026 where the economy has taken center stage, says Johan Huovinen.

500 locomotives destroyed or damaged

Since the full-scale invasion began, more than 500 locomotives have been destroyed or damaged in Russian attacks, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. More than half of them this year.

The strategy is stated from the Russian side, although they rarely mention the Ukrainian economy in particular.

In a post on August 22, the Russian Ministry of Defense writes that they destroyed a locomotive that was supposed to have transported military equipment.

"To reduce Ukraine's logistical capacity, Russian troops continue to systematically strike targets within the enemy's transport infrastructure," they write in another post on September 14.

At least 63 civilians killed

Also 120 passenger cars have been hit in 2026, according to Ukrainian authorities. At least 63 civilians have been killed in attacks on train infrastructure, according to ACLED's event descriptions.

The train with Carl Bildt on board had recently left the station near the Polish border - then a drone struck. Soon, two completely different narratives were spread about what the target actually was. Watch our review in the video above.