EU warns Russia to be held accountable for 'rocket terror'

The European Union on Thursday condemned Russia's deadly bombardment of a railway station in Ukraine and warned those "responsible for Russian rocket terror will be held accountable".

"The EU strongly condemns another heinous attack by Russia on civilians," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted, as the death toll from the strike in Chaplyne rose to 25.

Borrell did not say how Brussels intends to hold Moscow to account, but next week he will host meetings of EU foreign and defence ministers in Prague to discuss the crisis.


European Union member states have imposed a series of economic sanctions on Russia in the six months since it launched an invasion of Ukraine. Many EU countries have supplied weapons to Kyiv.

But Borrell has admitted it will be hard to maintain unified support for even tougher measures as rising energy prices hit European businesses and consumers and threaten to trigger recession.

In Prague, he will propose that the EU provide training for Ukrainian troops.

Some EU members with land borders with Russia -- Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania -- will also propose banning Russians from receiving EU tourist visas.

Germany and some other member states are reluctant to adopt this measure, however, out of concern it would make it difficult for dissident Russians to seek protection in the EU.

On Wednesday, Russia struck a station in the in the Ukrainian city of Chaplyne, in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

According to the Ukrainian state rail operator, the toll rose overnight to 25 dead, including two children, with another 31 injured.