Ukraine claims it blew up Russian railway used to ship North Korean munitions
Published: 16 Nov. 2025, 18:07
Updated: 16 Nov. 2025, 18:34
![The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine revealed on Nov. 15 that it had carried out a special operation targeting a railway line in Khabarovsk in eastern Russia on Nov. 13. The picture is a screenshot of the video uploaded by the agency. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/16/e206542e-3c84-4010-89ce-ee5fd7bfc10d.jpg)
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine revealed on Nov. 15 that it had carried out a special operation targeting a railway line in Khabarovsk in eastern Russia on Nov. 13. The picture is a screenshot of the video uploaded by the agency. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Ukraine said it was behind a major explosion that derailed a freight train on the Trans-Siberian Railway — a weapons shipment route from North Korea to Russia — earlier this week.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, shortened to HUR, said via Telegram on Saturday that it carried out a special operation targeting a railway line in eastern Russia's Khabarovsk on Thursday.
According to the agency, a freight train derailed and part of the railway was damaged as a result of the operation, effectively disrupting one of the supply routes used by Russia to transport weapons and ammunition sourced from North Korea. HUR also alleged that Moscow attempted to conceal the incident by disguising the sabotage as routine maintenance.
The Ukrainian agency emphasized that Russia had failed to secure even the most critical military infrastructure and that it will continue to dismantle the enemy’s logistics capabilities.
The Trans-Siberian Railway spans approximately 9,000 kilometers (5,592 miles), connecting Moscow to Vladivostok. It is a key logistics corridor for transporting military supplies from Russia’s Far East to the front lines in Ukraine.
North Korea is believed to be using this route to deliver munitions — including rockets and ballistic missiles — to Russia for use in the war. In May, Reuters reported that Pyongyang had supplied over 20,000 ammunition containers to Moscow, many of which were used in attacks on civilian targets inside Ukraine.
Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, told Reuters on Friday that North Korea had delivered 6.5 million artillery shells to Russia since 2023. He said the influx of shells allowed Russia to sustain a consistent level of battlefield activity last year. However, he also noted that about half of the North Korean rounds were too old and had to be upgraded in Russian factories. He added that Pyongyang’s stockpiles are now dwindling.
![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and members of the High Command General Headquarters attend a briefing for journalists in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 7. Zelensky spoke about the situation on the frontlines and in the country following Russia's attacks on energy facilities. [EPA/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/16/7a0fa18b-aac5-4b1e-ad90-3b8e5fc8c3d7.jpg)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and members of the High Command General Headquarters attend a briefing for journalists in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 7. Zelensky spoke about the situation on the frontlines and in the country following Russia's attacks on energy facilities. [EPA/YONHAP]
Beyond munitions, Pyongyang is also reportedly providing boots on the ground. HUR claimed that Moscow plans to dispatch 12,000 North Korean workers to drone factories by the end of the year. On Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry released footage showing North Korean combat engineers involved in mine-clearing operations in the western Kursk region.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing fallout from a corruption scandal involving top officials and close associates. Ukraine’s anticorruption bureau and special anticorruption prosecutors’ office are investigating a $100 million graft case linked to Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-run nuclear energy company.
Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk and Justice Minister German Galushchenko, both of whom handed in their resignations due to the scandal, have been named in the probe. Tymur Mindich, a longtime business partner of Zelensky from his days as a comedian and media producer, is also reportedly a key figure in the case.
In a post on X on Saturday, Zelensky vowed to overhaul Energoatom’s management and promised to establish a new supervisory board within a week. He also ordered an emergency appointment of a new head for Ukrhydroenergo, the country’s largest hydroelectric power company, and called for reforms at Naftogaz and other major gas operators.
The crackdown comes amid mounting public anger over repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which have led to widespread shortages.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HA SU-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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