The Sapsan (, known as Velaro RUS EVS) is a Russian gauge high speed electric express train. The train is a Siemens Velaro model, which in turn is based on the ICE 3M/F high-speed trains manufactured by Siemens for the German Deutsche Bahn (DB), known as the Siemens Velaro RUS. The trains started regular service on the Saint Petersburg–Moscow Railway in December 2009 at a maximum speed of (a new build high-speed line would allow for speeds of up to ). On 22 March 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Siemens suspended its contract to supply additional trainsets, as well as announcing it would end maintenance and other services from 13 May 2022, the Russian side said they will ensure future operation of Sapsan by itself. Construction history On 18 May 2006, Siemens and Russian Railways signed a €276 million order for eight high-speed trains with a 30-year service contract worth around €300 million. The trains were ordered to connect Moscow with Saint Petersburg and later Nizhny Novgorod at a speed of up to . They are derived from the German ICE 3 train but with bodies widened by to to suit Russia's wide loading gauge. Four of the trains (EVS2) are equipped for both 3 kV DC and operation. The total length of each ten-car train is , carrying up to 600 passengers. Development and construction was carried out by Siemens at Erlangen and Krefeld in Germany. In August 2009, it was announced that the fifth Sapsan had been delivered to Russia, of the eight that were planned. Four single-voltage ("EVS1", 3 kV DC powered, trainsets 5-8) trains entered passenger service at the end of 2009 on the Moscow – St Petersburg route, with the dual-system trains (EVS2, trainsets 1-4) entering service on the Nizhny Novgorod route on 30 July 2010. Sapsan set records for the fastest train in Russia on 2 May 2009, travelling at and on 7 May 2009, travelling at . On 19 December 2011, a €600 million order for an additional twenty trainsets including eight EVS2 sets was signed in order to facilitate an increased number of services on existing lines and the expansion of new service elsewhere in the system. The second-batch EVS1 sets (trainsets 9-20) will be same details as the first-batch EVS1 sets, but the second-batch EVS2 sets (trainsets 21 onward) will have retractable steps to suit for low platforms,