Country ‘will be torn to pieces’ if war is lost, ex-Russian president says

U.S. President Joe Biden sits on a train reviewing his speech after a surprise meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, Ukraine, on Feb. 20.
U.S. President Joe Biden sits on a train to review his speech after a surprise meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev, Ukraine, on Feb. 20. (Evan Vucci/AFP/Getty Images)

Transporting U.S. President Joe Biden across Ukraine on a highly stealthy, 10-hour one-way train ride is a daunting task requiring extensive preparation and the highest levels of secrecy. It also marks an important moment for the country and its rail system, seen as a source of stability in turbulent times, Ukrainian Railways CEO Alexander Kamysin told CNN.

“The Russians promised to take Kiev. During the 362 days of the war, President Biden showed up in Kiev and walked around with my President Zelensky. So this is a real moment in history. We are happy, honored and It’s an honor to be President Biden’s official airline, so we named our train Railroad Troop One,” Kamisin told Kaitlan Collins on “CNN This Morning” Wednesday.

Kamyshin said his work – which has so far hosted some 300 official delegations from around the world by rail – has been important to his country and its diplomacy since the war began nearly a year ago.

“Together with leaders around the world, presidents, prime ministers, MPs, MPs, it’s a really responsible mission for us. We call this mission ‘steel diplomacy.’ That’s how we help our The President completes his diplomatic mission. Every guest on the Iron Diplomacy program is our VIP. We do our best to get them in and out safely,” he said.

But it also plays a wider role in the country’s morale amid Russia’s brutal invasion.

“Punctual performance was a very important focus for us. During times of war, people are counted on. The railways became a reliable means of transportation for our people,” he said.

Motivated apologize on twitter After Biden took the train, “only 90%” of Ukraine’s trains were on time during the US visit.

“We had to remove some trains to keep Railroad Force One running smoothly and safely. I have to apologize because we usually try to get better. But two days ago, things weren’t that great,” he told Collins .

Kamyshin told Collins that he was “not nervous, but focused and determined until the moment he (Biden) left the Ukrainian border.”

Biden spent 24 hours in Ukraine, 20 of which were on Ukraine’s railway system.

“Believe me, this is a complex undertaking,” he said, and involved close coordination with the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, the U.S. government and Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry.



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