Kyiv, Oct 24: At least three people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at a railway station in Ovruch, Ukraine, on Friday, after a man detonated a hand grenade while his documents were being checked, according to the State Border Guard Service.
Authorities confirmed that a female border guard and two civilians died in the blast. The attacker, identified as a 23-year-old man from Kharkiv, also succumbed to his injuries while being transported in an ambulance. The explosion occurred during a routine security check at the station.
Local media, citing the National Police, reported that the device used was a hand grenade. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and investigators have found no immediate connection to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Police spokesperson Ivanna Siletska said officers from the Zhytomyr Oblast Police and the National Police Directorate were on-site conducting a detailed investigation. “All the circumstances of the incident are being established,” she said. Security has been tightened across the area following the explosion.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Friday, expressing gratitude for the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
During the meeting, Zelensky briefed the King on Ukraine’s current situation and challenges, while recalling the recent humanitarian visit of Princess Anne to Kyiv, focused on supporting children and families affected by the war.
“I am grateful to His Majesty and to the entire United Kingdom for their steadfast support of our people and their pursuit of peace for Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote on X (formerly Twitter), following the meeting.
Investigations into the Ovruch railway blast remain ongoing.
