Ukrainian Railways (UZ) plans to acquire up to 60 used locomotives over the next six months. A World Bank grant of $100 million (about €90 million) should help pay for them. Russian attacks have damaged 605 Ukrainian locomotives so far, the government says.
The Ukrainian national rail operator UZ is pursuing several routes to replenish its fleet, Deputy Minister for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport Volodymyr Shemayev said. These include repairing locomotives and returning them from reserve, buying second-hand units, leasing them from private companies and taking in equipment from international partners.
Buying used locomotives seems to be the most concrete of these plans. “We are structuring 100 million dollars of grant financing under RELINC with the World Bank for the purchase of used locomotives. Over the next six months, we plan to bring in up to 60 such units”, Shemayev said. The final number may vary depending on prices and the technical condition of the locomotives on offer, he added.
Ten diesels from Finland
Besides ordering locomotives, Ukraine is getting some for free. Finland will hand over 10 Dv12 diesel locomotives and spare parts to UZ free of charge, the Ukrainian Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport announced on 23 October.
Finland is the first country to donate locomotives to UZ. The extra diesel traction is necessary for both freight and passenger services, enterprises and exports amid Russian strikes on transport and energy infrastructure, the ministry explained. Diesel locomotives keep running when the power supply to the network is attacked.
Up to 15 more locomotives could follow free of charge from European partners, Shemayev said. Among the options are locomotives for 1,435-millimetre (standard-gauge) track. Most European countries cannot simply donate locomotives to UZ due to the difference in track gauges. Ukraine only has a handful of standard-gauge railways, which are common in most of Europe.
Repairs alone will not suffice
Ukraine will spend about €11 million to repair damaged locomotives by the end of the year. However, repairs have their limits. “We are restoring quickly, but a large number cannot work after repairs due to systemic and significant damage”, transport and infrastructure minister Mykola Kalashnyk said.
The 60 used locomotives would thus replace roughly one in ten of the more than 600 damaged units. Work is also ongoing to acquire new Alstom locomotives for UZ in the first quarter of 2027, Shemayev explained. Private locomotives could be another source of traction, he added.
Ukraine also signed changes to a €130 million loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), redirecting the money to support UZ’s liquidity, Kalashnyk said. RailFreight.com reported earlier on the EBRD stepping in with emergency funds for Ukrainian Railways.