Russia actively deploys forces to southern front via new railway through Mariupol – military

Russian forces are actively transferring weapons and military equipment via a newly built railway that connects Rostov-on-Don, Mariupol, and Volnovakha.

Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson of the Ukrainian Southern Defense Forces, said this in comments to Ukrinform.

"They are deploying [personnel and military equipment] both from the Donetsk region and from Russian territory, and they are also transporting through Crimea, as their group 'Dnepr' is stationed in temporarily occupied Crimea. Training centers and preparation facilities for Russian assault troops are mostly located in temporarily occupied Crimea. A certain amount of military equipment and armaments are also being moved from there. Moreover, they are actively using the logistical route – the railway – which was recently built," Voloshyn said.

Asked whether Ukrainian forces are targeting these logistical routes, Voloshyn noted that strikes are ongoing, but Russia is quickly restoring them.

"We are targeting these logistical routes, but the Russians are restoring them. They understand very well that their success completely depends on the logistics," he said.

In February 2025, Russia launched regular railway service between Rostov-on-Don, Mariupol, Volnovakha, and Donetsk. Russian occupiers have developed this railway line to shorten the route for delivering military equipment to the front. The line connects Rostov-on-Don to Mariupol and Volnovakha. There are also plans to extend the railway line to Crimea.

Illustrative photo