Ukrainian Railways reconnects a city scarred by a bombing

train station is a majestic example of Soviet neo-classical architecture, all soaring arches and granite tiles. In the early days of the war thousands of locals desperate to escape Russia’s invasion slept on the floor here, stumbling over each other during air-raid blackouts as they waited for the next train west. Now it hosts happier stories. On October 14th Alina, a young woman holding a bouquet of yellow and blue flowers, was in the main hall waiting to meet her sister, who had fled to Poland. “I haven’t seen her for eight months,” she said, fighting back tears.Meanwhile on Track 1, Ukrainian Railways was preparing for the departure of the first train to Kramatorsk, a city in the country’s east, since its station was bombarded by Russia on April 8th. The missile attack struck amid crowds of civilians fleeing Russia’s advance. Sixty people were killed, including seven children. Gruesomely, Russian soldiers had painted the words “for the children” on a missile casing. Now the line was back in service, with one of Ukrainian Railways’ newest and fastest trains, capable of 140km an hour. “We made an unscheduled trip [in advance] to check that the tracks were not mined,” said Oleksandr Shevchenko, deputy head of Ukraine Railways’ passenger division.