Allocation from the state budget to compensate for losses from passenger rail transportation is the right and timely decision in war conditions, says railway engineer and transport expert Anna Minyukova.

" This is a very right step when the railway is working on the brink of survival and the state finally takes on part of the responsibility,” she said in a comment.

According to the expert, in the current conditions there are virtually no alternative sources of financing for the industry.

" If, for example, energy companies could count on bank loans to purchase resources, then there are practically no such opportunities by rail,” Minyukova noted..

At the same time, she emphasized the need for systemic changes in the industry. In particular, we are talking about the adoption of a new law on railway transport and preparation for a model with the division of Ukrzaliznytsia into separate operators in accordance with European approaches.

In her opinion, the restoration of destroyed infrastructure and the purchase of new rolling stock should be financed by the state, while the carrier’s function should focus on efficient operational activities.

“The carrier must work as an operator: provide basic needs - from washing bed linen to purchasing brake pads, and also pay competitive salaries to employees,” the expert noted.

Let us remind you that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to allocate UAH 16 billion from the reserve fund of the state budget to finance the state order for the implementation of railway passenger transportation in domestic traffic in 2026.