At least seven people killed and 30 others were reported injured after a passenger train derailed in western Russia’s Bryansk region late Saturday after a bridge collapsed. Russian authorities have blamed the incident on what they described as “illegal interference.”The tragedy occurred in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine and has seen heightened tensions since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to Moscow railways, the bridge was “damaged as a result of illegal interference in transport operations.”Russia’s federal road agency, Rosavtodor, confirmed that the bridge passed above the railway line where the train was travelling. The sudden collapse of the structure sent massive chunks of concrete crashing down onto the tracks, directly in the path of the oncoming train.Images released by government agencies showed crumpled train carriages torn apart and scattered across the debris-strewn scene. Some social media footage appeared to capture the harrowing moments just before the collapse, with vehicles narrowly avoiding the drop as the bridge gave way.Bryansk governor Alexander Bogomaz confirmed the casualty figures and said two children were among the injured. “Everything is being done to provide all necessary assistance to the victims,” Bogomaz said, adding that emergency services and local officials are working at the site.
