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A Russian drone struck a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after a diplomatic train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European security officials had crossed into Poland. Former U.S. CIA Director David Petraeus was at the Yahodyn railway station when the attack took place.

The drone hit the passenger train’s engine, forcing passengers to evacuate. No casualties were reported. Ukrainian authorities said the strike took place about two kilometers from the Polish border.

The incident has raised concerns about the growing risk of Russian attacks near NATO territory and the safety of rail routes used by civilians, diplomats and military aid deliveries. Ukrainian railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said it was still investigating the attack but that it was “quite likely” the drone had deliberately targeted the diplomatic train.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted railway infrastructure in western Ukraine used to transport military cargo from European countries.

Diplomatic Train Crosses into Poland

Johnson, European security officials and other leaders had been attending the Yalta European Strategy (YES) international security conference in Kyiv. They were traveling from Kyiv toward Poland on a diplomatic train that included Johnson, the United Kingdom’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell, and other European officials.

The train departed earlier than expected from Yahodyn station because of the “constant threat of Russian strikes,” according to Ukrzaliznytsia.

The station is located close to the Polish border and is an important route for movement between Ukraine and Poland. The diplomatic train had already crossed into Poland when the Russian drone struck the separate passenger train at Yahodyn.

This wasn’t our train, but the one just minutes after us by the 🇵🇱 border crossing. It was evacuated as the 🇷🇺 drone approached and no one was hurt. Very good safety system. Our train just had an evacuation warning but could proceed to Dorohusk. The 🇷🇺 attacks against 🇺🇦 are…

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) September 13, 2026

Professor Katarzyna Pisarska, chair of the Warsaw Security Forum, told the BBC that she had been in the same carriage as Johnson and Powell. She said the attack happened about 30 minutes after their train crossed into Poland.

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt was also traveling near the border at the time. “This wasn’t our train, but the one just minutes after us by the Polish border crossing,” Bildt wrote on X, alongside a video appearing to show a drone hitting a nearby train as passengers evacuated.

Former CIA Chief Was at the Station

Former CIA Director David Petraeus was traveling on another train that was still at Yahodyn station when the drone struck. Ukrzaliznytsia said the evacuation order for passengers on the targeted train had been given about 15 minutes before the attack.

Petraeus later described the incident as “terrifying.” In an interview with The New York Times, he said: “This is the act of a truly barbaric leader trying to terrorise Ukrainian civilians.”

The presence of senior foreign officials in the area has drawn attention to the timing of the strike, although Ukrainian authorities have not publicly confirmed that the diplomatic train was the intended target. The railway operator said it was still clarifying the details of the attack.

Russia Says Railway Infrastructure Was Targeted

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces were targeting railway infrastructure in western Ukraine used to transport military cargo from European countries, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

The statement did not confirm whether the diplomatic train had been specifically targeted. Ukrainian officials, however, said the strike showed the wider danger posed by Russian attacks close to the European Union and NATO.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attacks near the Yahodyn border crossing. “This is Putin’s terror ‘knocking’ directly on the doors of the EU and NATO,” Sybiha said in a message.

The incident also comes as Ukraine continues to seek additional air defense systems from its international partners to protect its cities, transport networks and civilian infrastructure.

Russia Escalates Attacks Near Polish Border

Russia has increased attacks near the Polish border in recent weeks, including in Yahodyn, a major route for Western military and humanitarian aid entering Ukraine. Earlier on Sunday, Russian drones struck a gas station in the same border town, briefly shutting the crossing.

The attack on the train came as Polish and British officials warned that Russian strikes close to Poland could create wider security risks. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, speaking in Kyiv on Sunday, described the situation as an escalation.

“This is an escalation. It is another major challenge for Ukraine, but also for the potential future victims of Russian aggression,” Sikorski said.

British Defense Minister Wes Streeting also condemned the attacks near the border. He said the strikes, including the attack on the gas facility, were a “stark reminder” of what Ukrainians face every day.

“Reckless, dangerous attacks on civilian infrastructure so close to Poland also underline the wider security threat Russia poses,” Streeting said, adding that the United Kingdom would continue working with its allies to strengthen European security.

Ukraine’s future is in the West as a free independent sovereign country. We need to hear this loud and clear from Western leaders. pic.twitter.com/nuJ1fFwRVl

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 14, 2026

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has remained a vocal supporter of Ukraine since leaving office, condemned the Russian attack in a post on X. “I don’t know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning,” he wrote.

He described the incident as the kind of “random and senseless attack” that Ukrainians face every day, including on civilian railway lines. Johnson also urged Ukraine’s allies to provide the air defenses needed to protect the country from Russian attacks.

Ukraine has repeatedly called on its partners, particularly the U.S., to supply more air defense interceptors. The country faces regular Russian attacks involving drones, ballistic missiles, and increasingly fast-moving jet-powered drones.

The strike near Yahodyn adds to concerns over the ability of Ukrainian air defenses to protect important transport routes and civilian infrastructure.

Wider Concerns for European Security

The train attack occurred less than one week after a Russian drone entered Moldovan airspace as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was preparing to depart from an airport in Moldova’s capital.

Moldova is not a NATO member but has a longstanding partnership with the alliance. The incident near Yahodyn is also significant because of its proximity to Poland, a NATO member and a major route for Western support to Ukraine.

Although the drone struck inside Ukraine and no casualties were reported, the attack has raised questions about the risks posed by Russian strikes near the borders of NATO countries.

The incident also highlights the growing importance of air defense for protecting railway networks that carry passengers, diplomats, military supplies and humanitarian aid.