Russia may have targeted EU diplomatic train near Polish border

Ukraine's state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said Sunday that a Russian jet-mesh drone strike on a locomotive near the Ukrainian-Polish border may have been aimed at a diplomatic train carrying high-ranking European officials, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and security advisers from France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

The attack

The drone struck a locomotive on the Kyiv–Warsaw line near the Yahodyn border crossing in the early morning hours of 13 September. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, its Central Monitoring Group detected the incoming drone and issued an evacuation signal to passengers on a nearby train just 15 minutes before impact. No one on that train was reported injured.

Who was on board

The diplomatic train had been at Yahodyn station and departed earlier than its scheduled time as part of real-time adjustments made due to the constant threat of Russian strikes. On board were Boris Johnson, security advisers from France, the UK, and Italy, Günter Sautter — a senior adviser to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — former Swedish PM Carl Bildt, and other European diplomats and parliamentarians who had attended the YES security conference in Kyiv.

Evacuation called off

Passengers were woken and told to evacuate, but the alert was cancelled shortly after when no additional drones were detected. The train continued its journey to Poland. German Bundestag member Robin Wagener, also on board, condemned the attack: "These drone strikes are blind terror against the Ukrainian civilian population and a dangerous escalation of Putin's war." Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the attack complicated his team's border crossing. Poland confirmed its airspace was not violated.