Two trains derailed this morning in two different regions of Russia's Leningrad region, in the western part of the country. The driver of one of the trains died and rail traffic was disrupted, regional governor Alexander Drozdenko announced, AFP reported, BTA reported.
The two incidents occurred several hours after an explosion late yesterday evening of an explosive device on a section of a railway line in the western Oryol region, which killed three people.
The first train derailed today near Semrino station in the Gatchina district of the Leningrad region and a rescue operation is underway there, Drozdenko specified. He explained that the locomotive derailed and the driver, who was trapped in the cab, died.
The second train that derailed was loaded with 15 tank cars. It derailed further south than the first derailment. There were no casualties, Drozdenko added.
Investigators are investigating the possibility of sabotage.
The Russian railway network has been hit by several derailments, explosions and fires that Russian authorities have blamed on Ukrainian sabotage.
Kiev has denied responsibility for the incidents but has welcomed such actions, saying Russia uses its railway network to transport troops and fuel for Russian forces fighting in Ukraine.
AFP reported that a Ukrainian military intelligence source told the French news agency that Ukraine was behind the operations against trains in Russia this weekend. AFP added that it had received a message from the anonymous source saying that Ukrainian military intelligence, together with Ukrainian army units, carried out the attack in Oryol region yesterday, as well as another attack in Leningrad region today.