BELGRADE, June 2. /TASS/. President of Republika Srpska (Entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Milorad Dodik sent a telegram to Russian leader Vladimir Putin expressing his sympathies over the explosions targeting railway infrastructure in Russia's Bryansk and Kursk Regions.
"I received the news of the tragic loss of life in the attacks in the Bryansk and Kursk Regions with immense sorrow and sincere regret. On behalf of the citizens of Republika Srpska and in my own name, I extend to you my deepest condolences. In these difficult times, we deeply sympathize with the families of the innocent civilian victims and with the entire brotherly people of the Russia, hoping for a swift recovery of the injured," the press service of the Republika Srpska leader quoted him as saying.
Moscow Railway reported that passenger train No. 86 running from Klimov to Moscow went off the rails on the Pilshino-Vygonichi railway sector in the Bryansk Region at 10:44 p.m. Moscow time (7:44 p.m. GMT) on May 31. According to Moscow Railway, the train's derailment was caused by the collapse of a road bridge, which was damaged due to illegal interference with transport operations. Later, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said that the train derailed after the bridge was blown up. He said that seven people were killed and 71 others were injured. As many as 44 people were hospitalized, among them were three children.
On the night of May 31 to June 1, another railway bridge was blown up in the Zheleznogorsk district of the Kursk Region, resulting in a passing train falling onto a highway. As a result, the train driver and two of his assistants were injured.