Seven people have died and dozens more have been injured after two bridges collapsed overnight in Russia.
The first collapse occurred in Russia's Bryansk region when a bridge fell onto a passing train, killing the driver and six others. The incident, which happened as the train travelled from Moscow to Klimov, also injured 69 passengers.
Bryansk's acting governor, Alexander Bogomaz, blamed the collapse on an explosion, claiming the bridge had been "blown up". Local authorities attributed the incident to "illegal interference".
A second bridge later collapsed in the Kursk region while a freight train was passing over it, injuring one of the train's drivers, local officials confirmed.
Russia's Baza Telegram channel, known for publishing security services' and law enforcement information, reported without providing evidence that the Bryansk bridge had been deliberately blown up, based on initial assessments. Ukraine has made no immediate comment.
The regions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod, which border Ukraine, have experienced frequent cross-border shelling, drone attacks, and covert raids since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than three years ago.
Bryansk regional governor Alexander Bogomaz said: "Everything is being done to provide all necessary assistance to the victims."
Emergency workers are currently on-site, rescuing survivors from the wreckage of the derailed train. Russia's federal road transportation agency confirmed that the destroyed bridge passed over the railway tracks used by the train.
Images from the scene show train carriages torn apart and scattered amid concrete debris from the collapsed structure. Footage shared on social media also appears to show vehicles narrowly avoiding driving onto the bridge moments before its collapse.
