This week saw the resumption of Russian Armed Forces troop train movements carrying military equipment and personnel across Belarus. Direct transfer of troop trains from the combat zone in Ukraine to Belarus and in the reverse direction has been recorded.
On May 11, 2023, from Volnovakha station (Donetsk Railway, Ukraine) to Zaslonovo station (Minsk Division of the Belarusian Railway), troop train No. 961 was dispatched, consisting of 45 railcars, including:
- 4 passenger cars (with Russian Armed Forces personnel: ≈200 people);
- 2 boxcars (with equipment);
- 39 flatcars (loaded with wheeled and tracked military vehicles).
Arrival date at destination station (Zaslonovo) – May 18, 2023 (approximately 03:00 GMT+3)
Troop train route to Zaslonovo station: Volnovakha (Donetsk Railway) → Donetsk (Donetsk Railway) → Horlivka (Donetsk Railway) → Krasnaya-Mogila (Donetsk Railway) → Gukovo (Russian Railways) → Belaya Kalitva (Russian Railways) → Donskaya (Russian Railways) → Borisoglebsk (Russian Railways) → Vyazma (Russian Railways) → Smolensk (Russian Railways) → Krasnoe junction (Russian Railways) → Osinovka (Belarusian Railway) → Orsha-Central (Belarusian Railway) → Zaslonovo (Belarusian Railway).
On May 17, 2023, from Zaslonovo station (Minsk Division of the Belarusian Railway) to Gukovo station (North Caucasus Railway), troop train No. 962 was dispatched, consisting of 40 railcars, including:
- 3 passenger cars (with Russian Armed Forces personnel: ≈150 people);
- 2 boxcars (with equipment);
- 35 flatcars (loaded with wheeled and tracked military vehicles).
Estimated arrival date at destination station (Gukovo) – May 22, 2023
❗️ Upon arrival at Gukovo station (North Caucasus Railway), a locomotive change and locomotive crew change will be performed (further movement to the destination station will be carried out by locomotives and locomotive crews of the self-proclaimed DNR). After the crew change, the troop train will proceed to Krasnaya Mogila station (Debaltseve Division, Donetsk Railway) and then toward Debaltseve → Uglegorsk.
Troop train route to Gukovo station: Zaslonovo (Belarusian Railway) → Orsha-Central (Belarusian Railway) → Osinovka (Belarusian Railway) → Krasnoe junction (Russian Railways) → Smolensk (Russian Railways) → Vyazma (Russian Railways) → Borisoglebsk (Russian Railways) → Donskaya (Russian Railways) → Belaya Kalitva (Russian Railways) → Gukovo (Russian Railways).
❗️ In addition to the troop trains dispatched from Zaslonovo station to Gukovo station, this week at least 1 more troop train departed from Belarus from Polonka station on May 14, 2023 (the train consisted of 45 railcars, including: 3 passenger cars, 2 boxcars, 40 flatcars) carrying military equipment and trained Russian Armed Forces personnel.
Also this week, at least 2 troop trains arrived at Polonka station from the Russian Federation on May 15, 2023 (the train consisted of 40 railcars, including: 4 passenger cars, 1 boxcar, 35 flatcars), and on May 16, 2023 (the train consisted of 46 railcars, including: 4 passenger cars, 2 boxcars, 40 flatcars).
Primary destination stations for troop trains dispatched from Belarus:
- Gukovo station (North Caucasus Railway);
- Matveyev-Kurgan station (North Caucasus Railway);
- Neklinovka station (North Caucasus Railway).
