Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Günter Zautter – foreign policy and security adviser to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – and other European officials were travelling by train from Kyiv to Poland, when Russia attacked railway infrastructure near the «Yagodin» border crossing. Passengers on the special train were evacuated due to the threat of strikes. Shortly afterwards, a Russian drone struck the locomotive of the Kyiv–Warsaw passenger train approximately two kilometres from the Polish border.
- Boris Johnson and Günter Zautter were travelling back by train from Kyiv to Poland.
- There were also European diplomats, advisers and politicians on the train.
- At around 05:00, the train was stopped due to Russian drones near the border.
- Some of the passengers were evacuated due to the risk of a collision.
- The drone subsequently struck the locomotive of the Kyiv–Warsaw train, which was carrying 206 passengers.
- Thanks to the timely evacuation, no one was injured as a result of the strike.
Johnson and Merz’s adviser were travelling to Poland on a special train
On the morning of 13 September, Russian drones attacked railway infrastructure in Volyn, near the Ukrainian-Polish border.
According to reports in the German media, one of the Chancellor’s closest advisers was travelling from Kyiv to Poland on a special train at that time Friedrich Merz - Günter Sautter, who is responsible for foreign policy and security within the Federal Chancellor’s Office.
The passengers also included a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson. European media are reporting the presence of other national security advisers, members of the German Bundestag, diplomats, experts and academics.
At around five o’clock in the morning, the train came to a halt near the Polish border due to the threat posed by Russian attack drones. Passengers were warned of the danger and evacuation procedures were put in place.
A Russian drone struck the Kyiv–Warsaw train
Almost at the same time, Russian troops launched attack on the railway near the border crossing point «Yagodin – Dorohusk».
«Ukrzaliznytsia reported that a strike drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train at approximately two kilometres from the border with Poland.
The following people were on the Kyiv–Warsaw train 206 passengers. The Ukrainian Railways monitoring team identified the threat in good time, so people were able to be evacuated from the danger zone before the strike. As a result of the attack, the locomotive was damaged, but there were no fatalities or injuries.
European politicians were returning from the YES conference
Most of the foreign guests left Kyiv after the conclusion of the 22nd annual meeting Yalta European Strategy (YES).
The conference took place on 11–12 September under the title «Peace Through Strength NOW!». According to the foundation Viktor Pinchuk, with around 700 politicians, diplomats, military personnel, businesspeople, public figures and experts from 28 countries.
It is precisely because of the closure of civil airspace that the railway remains the main route for foreign delegations travelling to Kyiv via Poland.
That is why the morning attack caused such a stir: the strike took place on the route along which high-ranking Western politicians and advisers were leaving Ukraine at virtually the same time as civilian passengers.
Poland has scrambled its air force following attacks near its border
The attack on the railway was part of a large-scale Russian air campaign an attack on the western regions Ukraine.
As Russian drones approached the Polish border, Warsaw scrambled fighter jets and stepped up airspace surveillance. Air threat alerts have also been activated in Poland’s border regions.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sibiga stated that Russian attacks in the immediate vicinity of Polish territory meant that the threat was drawing ever closer to the borders of the EU and NATO.
Earlier, the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk already had warned, that Warsaw is expecting Russia to attempt to target transport and border infrastructure between Poland and Ukraine.
Russia is stepping up its attacks on the Ukrainian railway network
In recent times, the railway infrastructure has become one of the regular targets of Russian drones.
Russia is attacking railway stations, locomotives, passenger trains and railway junctions. «Ukrzaliznytsia» is increasingly having to bring trains to a halt early and evacuate passengers following warnings from its own monitoring team.
It was precisely this system that prevented any casualties amongst the 206 passengers on the Kyiv–Warsaw train on this occasion.
The incident near Yagodyn attracted international attention because the attack took place almost right on the NATO border, whilst Boris Johnson, a adviser to Merz, and other representatives from European countries were present on this section of the railway at the same time.
