Bridge collapses kill 7 in Russian border regions

Two separate bridge collapses occurred in Russian regions bordering Ukraine, resulting in at least seven deaths and dozens of injuries, according to Russian officials on Sunday.

The incidents also caused train derailments. Meanwhile, a Russian politician described Ukraine as a “terrorist enclave.”

Reuters noted it could not independently verify whether the two events were connected.

Southern Russian regions near the Ukrainian border have experienced repeated attacks since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion over three years ago.

In one of the incidents, a highway bridge in the Bryansk region gave way on Saturday night, crashing onto railway tracks and causing a train to derail. Authorities confirmed that seven people died and 69 others were injured.

Russia’s Railways initially suggested on Telegram that the bridge collapse in Bryansk was caused by “unauthorized interference with transport operations,” but the post was later taken down.

Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz reported on Telegram that 47 people were admitted to hospital, including three children one of whom is in serious condition.

In a separate incident early Sunday, a freight train was crossing a bridge in the Kursk region when it collapsed, according to acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein and Russian Railways.

Khinshtein said part of the train plunged onto the road below, and the locomotive briefly caught fire before it was extinguished.

One driver suffered leg injuries, and the train crew was taken to hospital for treatment.

He shared a photo showing derailed train cars on a damaged bridge spanning a roadway.

Andrei Klishas, a senior official in Russia’s Federation Council, claimed on Telegram that the Bryansk incident proves Ukraine “has long ceased to function as a state and has become a terrorist enclave.”

The Baza Telegram channel, known for publishing information from Russian security and law enforcement sources, reported without offering evidence that the Bryansk bridge was likely blown up.

Military blogger Semyon Pegov, who posts under the name War Gonzo, also described the incident as “sabotage.”

Reuters could not independently verify the claims made by Baza or Pegov, and Ukraine has not issued an official response.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the border regions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod have experienced repeated shelling, drone attacks, and incursions from the Ukrainian side.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Telegram that rescue efforts in Bryansk continued through the night, involving around 180 personnel.

Russia’s state news agencies, citing medical sources, reported that the train’s locomotive driver was among those killed in the Bryansk bridge collapse.

Footage shared on social media showed passengers helping one another climb out of the wreckage in the dark, while firefighters searched for ways to reach those still trapped inside the damaged carriages.

According to Russian Railways, the train had been traveling from Klimovo to Moscow when it struck the collapsed bridge near a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of Bryansk. Governor Alexander Bogomaz said the location is roughly 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Moscow and Kyiv to pursue a negotiated settlement to end the war, as Russia proposed a second round of in-person talks with Ukrainian officials in Istanbul on Monday.

However, Ukraine has not confirmed its participation, stating it must first review Russia’s proposals. Meanwhile, a prominent U.S. senator cautioned that Moscow would face severe new sanctions from Washington if it fails to de-escalate.