Kyiv’s saboteurs strike deep in enemy territory, with Russian media reporting that authorities are investigating it as a terror attack.

Ukraine’s security service blew up a railway connection linking Russia to China, in a clandestine strike carried out deep into enemy territory, with pro-Kremlin media reporting that investigators have opened a criminal case into a “terrorist attack.”

The SBU set off several explosions inside the Severomuysky tunnel of the Baikal-Amur highway in Buryatia, located some 6,000 kilometers east of Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian official with direct knowledge of the operation told POLITICO.

“This is the only serious railway connection between the Russian Federation and China. And currently, this route, which Russia uses, including for military supplies, is paralyzed,” the official said.

Four explosive devices went off while a cargo train was moving inside the tunnel. “Now the (Russian) Federal Security Service is working on the spot, the railway workers are unsuccessfully trying to minimize the consequences of the SBU special operation,” the Ukrainian official added.

Ukraine’s security service has not publicly confirmed the attack. Russia has also so far not confirmed the sabotage.

  • nicetriangle@kbin.social
    312·
    1 year ago

    I’m curious whether China will take this as a personal affront and feel the need to save face by escalating their participation. That would not be ideal.

    • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.caEnglish
      321·
      1 year ago

      China really has no reason to take this as an affront. China will continue milking Russia for money/oil and let them continue weaken themselves, but they have no reason to get involved or sell them weapons.

    • skozzii@lemmy.caEnglish
      12·
      1 year ago

      China will just get to charge higher delivery fees with the planes, trucks and boats that will have to ship all the goods.

      Good news for China, Russia need the stuff either way, it just gonna cost them more now and take longer to arrive.

    • circuscritic@lemmy.caEnglish
      92·
      1 year ago

      Their reaction will depend on how this impacts their strategic use for Russia, which is soley as a source for raw materials (oil, minerals, etc.)

      Selling goods into Russia, while critical for Russia, is barely a rounding error for China. The natural resources from Russia, however are critical inputs for the Chinese economy.

      • rottingleaf@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        It’s interesting how the Russian government completely mismanaged even that little dependence. They could have more influence toward China.

        Though if they were smart, eh, there are too many things to mention which they’d do differently. Something about invasions of generally friendly neighbors being stupid.

    • Siegfried@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      1 year ago

      I think China is more concerned about being included in the next set of sanctions. If this railroad was the only rail that connected China directly to Russia, then I expect the export of arms to slowdown a bit just for caution sake.