Tragedy struck in two Russian regions bordering Ukraine overnight as separate bridge collapses resulted in at least seven fatalities and dozens of injuries. These incidents, occurring in Bryansk and Kursk, have heightened concerns in areas already experiencing tensions from ongoing cross-border activities.

In the Bryansk region, one bridge collapsed directly onto railway tracks, leading to the derailment of an approaching train. This catastrophic event claimed the lives of the train driver and six other individuals, with an additional 69 people sustaining injuries. The train was reportedly en route from Moscow to Klimov. Alexander Bogomaz, the region's acting governor, attributed the collapse to an explosion, stating the bridge had been "blown up." Local authorities also suggested "illegal interference" as the cause for this incident.

Separately, in Russia's Kursk region, another bridge collapsed as a freight train was traversing it. Officials in Kursk reported that one of the train's drivers was injured as a result of this collapse. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities regarding either of these bridge incidents.

These bridge collapses have occurred against a backdrop of sustained regional instability. According to reports, since the commencement of Russia's full-scale invasion more than three years ago, Russian regions bordering Ukraine, including Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod, have been subjected to continuous cross-border shelling, drone attacks, and covert raids attributed to Ukrainian forces.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene of the train derailment in Bryansk, where efforts were underway to rescue survivors from the wreckage. Russia's federal road transportation agency confirmed that the destroyed bridge in Bryansk was situated above the railway tracks where the train was operating. Images and social media footage from the scene depicted severe damage, with passenger cars ripped apart amidst fallen concrete from the collapsed structure. Some footage appeared to show vehicles that narrowly avoided driving onto the bridge moments before its failure.