Since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, when foreign and domestic flights were shut down and with limited capacity for car and bus traffic on the already busy roads, the railways soon started to play a major role in wartime logistics. And impressively, Ukrainian rail company UZ has ensured steady operations. Danish journalist and political scientist Erik Boel shares his experience traveling Ukrainian railways in the time of war.
Passengers, goods, medical transport, military personnel and equipment, which is crucial to the war effort is transported through the railway. And the Ukrainian rail operator UZ (Ukrzaliznytsia) has played a key role in this. In 2022 alone, 4 million people were evacuated, including one million children. Ukrainians love their pets, and the railways transported 120,000 animals, including even a crocodile.
Ukraine also has what is probably the world's only food train. It provides food deliveries to those parts of Ukraine where infrastructure is particularly hard hit due to Russian attacks. Thanks to a generator truck with 400 kW power supply system, the train can operate for 5-7 days at a time. The train can handle up to 10,000 meals per day.
The UZ became the economic lifeline to the outside world. The many prominent guests - Joe Biden and Greta Thunberg, but also pop and film stars such as Bono, Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn - came to Kyiv by railway from Poland. It became hip for VIPs to take selfies from the train.
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