Alexander surprised everyone with his latest covert action kamyshin (38) all over the world. The head of the Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsia US President Joe Biden (80) safely took a train to the war zone on the night from Sunday to Monday and brought him out again shortly afterwards. kamyshin ensured that the most powerful person in the world was spared from Russian attacks during the 20-hour train journey and arrived in Kiev rested. A risky undertaking, an extremely dangerous journey. If something had gone wrong, the world would have been disrupted.
But she isn’t. Thanks Alexander kamyshin, the giant with the long black hair and the firm handshake. look has the heaviest Bähnler of the world met shortly before Biden’s visit in his office in the Ukrainian capital – as the first ever international medium. Lots of armed personnel, sandbags at the entrances, the highest level of security, no photos – except for one selfie with the Blick reporter: kamyshin knows the Russians want to kill him. Because someone like him is worth his weight in gold to a country at war.
Kamyshins Study resembles detective agency Sherlock Holmes. The only thing missing is the pipe smoke in the air. The ornamental fish in the aquarium, the wooden chairs, the pictures on the wall: “I can’t stand it,” he says. But he doesn’t have time for new decorations now. There is war in his country. And without the railway, Ukraine would have lost this war long ago.
Joe Biden, Ignazio Cassis and a crocodile
Ukrainian trains bring thousands of tons of Western weapons into the country. Organized a year ago kamyshin the flight of four million people. “And we also evacuated 120,000 pets from the war zone, including a crocodile from the city of Kharkiv,” says the Bahn boss.
But not only biting reptiles belong to its foreign passengers. Since the start of the war, more than 250 international delegations have visited Ukraine by train – including then-Swiss President Ignazio Cassis (61) in October. called “iron diplomacy”. kamyshin Dat.Joe Biden, for example, spent 20 of his 24 hours in Ukraine on the railroad. “You have to naturally everything fits!»
But how do you protect these VIPs from the Russian missiles, sir kamyshin? A sharp look in the reporter’s eyes, the fighter’s face freezes in a poker face. “I’ll never tell you that,” says kamyshin after a long break. “Just as much: no secret survives long in war. The enemy will know everything. Our basic recipe is therefore: adapt, always find new tricks and routes.” Armored trains like those of the North Korean ruler Kim Jong UN use for his travels? Of course you have them, says kamyshin. I can’t get more out of him.
12,000 Russian attacks on Ukrainian railways
However, photos of the Ukrainian special vehicles appear here and there, recently released Cherson. Ready for the first ride from Kiev to the newly liberated southern Ukrainian city kamyshin introduced a fully armored train pushing a heavy wagon to protect against hidden mines.
A glance at the staff book shows how unfavorable the conditions are for Ukrainian railway workers and their trains. had 231,000 employees kamyshin before the start of the war. They are Ukraine’s “second army,” he says. 300 of his men were killed, 700 were injured, some seriously. 9300 were drafted into the army. Have with you Kamyshins “iron men and women” to do more than ever before: Russian missiles have hit train stations or destroyed sections of track more than 12,000 times.
Russia has officially defined Ukrainian railways as a “strategic target”. Not a day goes by without new attacks. kamyshin personally visits at least one repair operation per week, most recently on a demining operation in the liberated Cherson. “Leading in war means being present, marking presence,” he says. “Our people know that when the boss is here, our work is important.” His team meticulously recorded all damage. “I will send the bill to those responsible in Moscow after the war.”
“Fuck you Russians campaigns!»
The last time he reported to Moscow was February 25, the second day of the war. The Kremlin had officially asked him to keep the train routes between Russia and Ukraine intact “for security reasons”. kamyshin answered succinctly and also very officially: “Fuck your Russians campaigns!» There will never again be a train connection between Kiev and Moscow, says kamyshin.
But the railway boss is not only concerned with enemy powers, but also with teacups. In the middle of the war, he decreed that the passengers of the First It’s nice that tea on the train is no longer served in cardboard cups, but in historic glassware. He wants to convert the Ukrainian railway into the most customer-friendly in the world – right now, in the middle of the war. Normality, even if it’s just pretending, can work wonders.
Great example in the service offensive: the SBB and the Rhaetian train, the kamyshin knows him well from his travels to Switzerland. “When it comes to passenger transport, you Swiss are hard to beat.”
Speaking of Switzerland: kamyshin carefully monitors whether all its trains always depart and arrive on time. For him, every punctual train is a personal victory over Putin. In the end it was more than 95 percent, accurate to five minutes, despite the war and despite the enormous distances (Ukraine is 15 times the size of Switzerland). Then the punctuality during Biden’s visit was 90 percent because of all the secret security measures fellthe railway boss apologized to the travelers on Twitter.
Ukraine must become a travel Mecca
“Whatever happens, we will continue,” he says kamyshin. He has promised his country. “If you know that you can get on the train at any time in one of our cities and leave again, that might make the crucial difference between continuing and desperation,” says the railway boss.
And when the war is over? “Then Ukraine will become a travel mecca for adventurous foreigners,” says kamyshin. He’s not the only one who thinks this way: the travel guide «only Planet» has chosen the newly opened route between the Moldovan capital Chisinau and Kiev as one of the eight most beautiful train journeys in Europe.
More routes will be added soon. This is evident from the new sign in the waiting room of Kiev’s central station. kamyshin had listed all connections to the occupied territories. Kiev-Donetsk, Kiev – MariupolKiev–Sevastopol: they should be put back into service as soon as possible.
At the very top of the leaderboard is the connection Kiev-Peremoha, the Ukrainian word for victory. Scheduled arrival according to the scoreboard: 2022. There were Alexander kamyshin and his iron army once not in time.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
