In 2025, six children lost their lives in Ukraine due to the dangerous activities known as "thrill-seeking" on the railway, while eight others were injured.
This information was shared by Vitaliy Romanov, deputy head of the juvenile police of Ukraine, during a broadcast on "Suspilne".
Thrill-seeking is a term used to describe the risky behavior of teenagers climbing onto train cars to take photos or videos. Another variant of this activity involves hanging onto the sides of moving trains.
"The consequences of thrill-seeking are often catastrophic, frequently leading to fatalities. That’s why we continually emphasize the need to work towards preventing such incidents," noted Vitaliy Romanov.
He recounted two unfortunate events that occurred in Volyn on the same day - April 20. In one case, a 16-year-old boy was injured after climbing onto a train car.
A few hours later, a 13-year-old boy attempted to film a video from the roof of a train car and climbed up using a ladder. He suffered an electric shock.
"In this case, the child sustained 80% burns on his body, and his condition is very critical; doctors are fighting for his life," stated Vitaliy Romanov.
He also added that thrill-seeking is a phenomenon that is not only widespread in Ukraine but also in other countries. Often, children from well-off families, who have not previously caught the attention of law enforcement, end up in such dangerous situations.
It is worth noting that on March 12 in Kyiv, a 12-year-old boy climbed onto an electric train car and suffered severe burns from an electric shock. Doctors fought for five days to save his life, but unfortunately, the teenager passed away.