Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba met with railway workers, presented state awards, and thanked Ukrzaliznytsia employees for their heroic daily work amidst the full-scale invasion.

In his address, he emphasized that the railway has become a true symbol of Ukraine's invincibility.

"Ukrzaliznytsia remains a symbol of the country's resilience. Under daily shelling, railway workers ensure connections, evacuate people, deliver aid, and keep the country moving," noted Oleksii Kuleba.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that this work is carried out under extraordinary conditions. Northern and eastern regions are effectively under round-the-clock attacks, and since the beginning of August alone, nearly 300 strikes have been launched against UZ facilities.

Special mention was made of the high price paid by the railway family in this war. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 221 railway workers have been injured, and 37 have died in the line of duty. Eternal glory to the heroes.

Despite constant danger, railway workers demonstrate unprecedented speed in recovery. Thanks to their labor, trains continue to run even after massive night shelling.

"Every day, the railway manages to restore infrastructure after attacks in an average of 4 hours — and resumes traffic the very same day. Where tracks or stations are damaged, combined routes are used: train plus bus. This way, we maintain connections and the ability for people to reach safety," the government official emphasized.

Oleksii Kuleba also noted that the state supports the renewal of rolling stock. Recently, six new railcars manufactured at the Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works departed for their first trips. Five of them are already operating on the Kharkiv route, and one on the Dnipro route. These are frontline regions where the burden on the railway is heaviest.

These cars were the final ones in a batch of 66 units ordered by Ukrzaliznytsia last year. Over 160 Ukrainian companies were involved in production, providing jobs and supporting domestic industry.

"For our part, we are doing everything to ensure railway workers have proper conditions: safety, fair wages, stable enterprise operations, and resources for renewing rolling stock. I thank everyone who keeps the railway moving," concluded Oleksii Kuleba.