Explosion derails another freight train in Russian region near Ukraine

Kyiv [Ukraine], May 3 : An explosion in Russia's western Bryansk region derailed a goods train for the second day in a row, knocking the locomotive and some cars off the rails. However no casualties have been reported as of yet, authorities stated, according to Al Jazeera.

Notably, the Bryansk region, where the blast occurred borders both Ukraine and Belarus.

"An unidentified explosive device went off near the Snezhetskaya railway station. There were no casualties," Alexander Bogomaz, Bryansk regional governor wrote on the messaging app Telegram.

He said, "As a result of the incident, a locomotive and several waggons of a goods train derailed," without identifying the culprit, Al Jazeera reported.

The incident came as Kyiv claims to be preparing for a counteroffensive, and as the Ukrainian military has vowed to continue defending Bakhmut, a city in the country's east.

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, there have been several accusations of sabotage on Russian trains, but this week is the first time authorities have acknowledged strikes of this magnitude.

The earlier derailment was on Monday, as a freight train from Belarus was transiting the Bryansk region near the town of Unecha, roughly 60 miles east of the Ukrainian border, New York Times reported

Meanwhile, a Russian missile attack that occurred overnight in Pavlohrad, a city and railway hub in eastern Ukraine, resulted in at least two fatalities, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine. Martial law in Ukraine was extended on Tuesday by a decision of the parliament, and it will now last until August 18, reported AL Jazeera.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year, Zelenskyy introduced the bill.

Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not permitted to leave the country and could be drafted into the military under martial law, Al Jazeera.

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