Russian propaganda presents Ukrainian special operation on railway in Russia as actions of 'pro-Russian partisans' in Odesa region

On Telegram, X, and Facebook, Russian accounts circulated photos of a derailed train, claiming it was the result of an explosion on railway tracks in the Odesa region allegedly carried out by local "partisans sympathetic to Russia." They also asserted the train was transporting "Western military aid and fuel" for Ukraine.

This is false. The photo was taken in mid-September in Russia's Leningrad region. It shows the aftermath of a Ukrainian operation targeting Russian railway infrastructure carried out by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) and the Special Operations Forces. The train was blown up in the Luga district near the Nizovskaya station.

Sources in Ukraine's Defense Intelligence told Ukrinform that the attack took place overnight on September 14. At about 02:30, an explosion damaged the St. Petersburg-Pskov railway line on the Stroganovo-Mshinskaya section. The attack derailed a locomotive and destroyed 15 fuel tankers along with their contents.

This is not the first time Russian propaganda has spread disinformation about alleged "pro-Russian partisans" in Ukraine. Earlier, Moscow tried to pass off railway accidents in the Bryansk region and Kazakhstan as "sabotage" in Ukraine aimed at Western military cargo.

Notably, this fake appeared against the backdrop of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's recent claims about supposed support for Russia in the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. This is part of a broader Russian disinformation campaign designed to fabricate an illusion of backing for the so-called "Russian world" in Ukraine.

Russian propaganda recently also fabricated fake LEGO sets about Moldova and the war in Ukraine.

Andriy Olenin