[58725] Passenger train derailed in the Belgorod region: suspicion of sabotage and disagreements in official reports

Train incident in the Belgorod region

On May 13, 2026, an unusual incident occurred in the Belgorod region of Russia, when a passenger train on the 'Razumoye – Tomarovka' line derailed. According to reports from the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, there were 15 passengers on the train; one woman was slightly injured (a laceration on her leg and a back injury) and was evacuated to the hospital.

Development of reports: From explosion to "damage"

Initially, reports from official sources and agencies such as TASS and RIA Novosti stated that the cause of the incident was the "detonation of an explosive device" which resulted in the absence of about two meters of railroad tracks. However, journalistic entities such as Meduza and The Moscow Times noticed that Governor Gladkov edited his original statement and removed the word "explosion," replacing it with a vague description of "damage."

Disagreements in media coverage

• Sources identified with official/pro-Russian stances: Media outlets such as Readovka and RT highlighted the work of the Ministry of Defense's sappers and defined the event as intentional sabotage, while blaming Ukraine for what they term "terrorism."


• Critical/opposition sources: Channels such as NEXTA Live and Dozhd emphasized the change in the wording of the governor's official announcement, noting that the lack of transparency raises questions regarding the true circumstances of the train derailment.

The railway company RZD (via RT) announced that train traffic on the relevant section was temporarily suspended and that a rescue train was dispatched to repair the damage, which they described as the result of "external influence."