Russia Lays New War Tracks: Billion-Euro Railway Expands Across Occupied Ukraine

While global attention remains on the frontlines, Russia is quietly investing billions into building a vast rail network across occupied Ukrainian territories. The Kremlin sees this new infrastructure as a “lifeline of war”, offering both a strategic alternative to the vulnerable Kerch Bridge and a significant boost to Russian logistics across the region.

According to analysts, Moscow has made rail development in occupied Ukraine a key priority. Once completed, the new lines would seamlessly connect with Russia's core railway system, creating alternative routes that circumvent maritime vulnerabilities. The head of Russia’s federal rail agency Roszheldor, Alexey Druzhinin, previously confirmed that a "unified railway infrastructure for Russia’s new regions" is underway. This includes freight corridors from Russia into Melitopol, extensions from Rostov-on-Don to Mariupol and Crimea, and even a proposed railway link between the Crimean Peninsula and Belarus.

I don't know if the world will ever pull its head out of its ass, but there's never been a more clear example of what makes Ukraine and russia different.

Today, Ukraine struck a military train - what did muscovia do? They bombed a fucking children's railway ride. pic.twitter.com/fibxNGBGDQ

— М'ясник (@UAMyasnyk) June 7, 2025

Massive Rail Ambitions for the Occupied Territories

Druzhinin stated that Roszheldor is not only consolidating existing networks but also launching widespread construction and reconstruction efforts. As of January 1, 2025, the newly formed Novorossiya Railways began operating, linking the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics with occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Meanwhile, Crimean authorities have confirmed ongoing discussions about a potential railway corridor to Belarus—a project under negotiation for over two years.

The deputy head of Crimea’s administration, Georgy Muradov, noted progress in talks, suggesting that "special routes for passenger trains to Crimea are already being planned for the coming season." According to estimates from Russia’s National Research Center for Transportation Infrastructure, construction costs for these rail links could range between EUR 994 million and EUR 1.77 billion.

Mariupol’s Station Restored as Crimea Routes Optimised

In March, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin announced that Mariupol’s railway station could be operational by the end of 2025. Reconstruction began in June 2023. Khusnullin also confirmed that the Novorossiya Railway project will continue expanding, as the land corridor through occupied territories offers a "shorter and more efficient route to Crimea." Moscow has not ruled out the launch of passenger services linking the newly built railways with Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Already last summer, RAILTARGET reported on the secret commissioning of the railway connecting Rostov-on-Don with occupied Mariupol. As advisor to Mariupol’s mayor Petro Andriushchenko revealed, the line was discreetly activated despite Ukrainian strikes and harsh winter delays. "This is the conclusion we reached after monitoring movements at key stations since Wednesday," Andriushchenko reported via his Telegram channel. For security reasons, several operational details remain undisclosed, but he confirmed that the line was launched without any public announcement.

A New Geopolitical Threat on Rails

The improved Russian railway logistics across occupied Ukraine could have far-reaching consequences for the conflict’s trajectory. The infrastructure allows for quicker military deployments, more secure supply chains, and an alternative to the fragile Kerch Bridge, which remains a target for Ukrainian strikes. With Moscow accelerating its rail offensive, the war may increasingly be fought not just on battlefields, but along newly laid tracks criss-crossing the occupied heart of Ukraine.

Source: RailFreight