Train with Boris Johnson and Merz adviser halted near Polish border after drone attack

A Ukrainian overnight train carrying a group of prominent European officials had to halt near the Ukrainian-Polish border in the early hours of Sunday after a Russian drone attack struck a nearby train on the same route.

Among those on board was Gunter Sautter, the chief foreign and security policy adviser to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was returning to Poland after meetings in Kyiv. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also travelling on the same train, as were security advisers from several other European countries.

The incident unfolded near Volyn

According to Spiegel, citing sources familiar with the events, the train stopped at around 5:00 a.m. when another Ukrainian train nearby came under Russian drone attack. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt confirmed the incident on platform X, drawing attention to the escalating danger of rail travel in western Ukraine.

The event prompted Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to convene an emergency security meeting later that same day. Russia has targeted Ukrainian railway infrastructure repeatedly in 2026, but attacks this close to NATO territory mark a significant escalation.