Boris Johnson Departs Ukraine Station, Russian Drone Strikes Nearby Train Minutes Later In Attack

A Russian drone struck a train near Ukraine's border with Poland on Sunday, shortly after a diplomatic train carrying former British prime minister Boris Johnson, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt and security advisers from several European Union countries had passed through the area, Ukraine's state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said. The incident occurred at Yahodyn station, close to the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing, raising concerns over the safety of senior foreign officials travelling through western Ukraine. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, the diplomatic train carrying the visiting officials had deliberately departed Yahodyn station earlier than scheduled.

The delegation was returning from a security conference in Kyiv when the attack took place. The railway operator said the timing of the departure meant the diplomatic train had left the station before the Russian drone struck another train in the area. Ukrzaliznytsia said it was “highly probable” that the diplomatic train had been the intended target of the Russian drone, although the claim has not been independently established. The operator said the train carrying the foreign delegation had left the station ahead of schedule, potentially preventing the officials from being caught in the attack. The incident highlights the continuing risks faced by international officials and civilian travellers using Ukraine's railway network even in the country's western regions near the Polish border.

Bildt, who previously served as Sweden's prime minister, shared a video of the attack on X. He said the train that was struck was not the diplomatic train carrying the delegation, but another train that had been travelling behind it and was near the Polish border crossing. Bildt said the targeted train was evacuated as the Russian drone approached and that no one was injured. He also said the diplomatic train received an evacuation warning, indicating that safety procedures were activated as the threat developed. “This wasn't our train, but the one just minutes after us by the Polish border crossing,” Bildt said. “It was evacuated as the Russian drone approached and no one was hurt. Very good safety system.

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Our train just had an evacuation warning.” His account provided additional details about the sequence of events and the measures taken to protect passengers following the drone threat. The incident occurred as Johnson, Bildt and other European officials were returning from a security conference in Kyiv. Johnson has remained a prominent supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, while Bildt has also been an outspoken advocate for European support for Kyiv. Their reported presence on the diplomatic train adds significance to the attack because of the possibility that senior foreign officials may have been travelling through the area only minutes before the strike.

Yahodyn is an important railway point near Ukraine's border with Poland, connecting the country's rail network with the European transport system. Railway infrastructure has remained crucial during the war, carrying passengers and supporting the movement of goods, humanitarian supplies and international delegations. Although western Ukraine is farther from the main battlefield, the region has continued to face the threat of Russian missile and drone attacks. The attack also underscores the importance of railway security and evacuation procedures during wartime. According to Bildt, passengers on the struck train were evacuated before the drone hit, while the diplomatic train received a warning.

No injuries were reported in his account. Ukrzaliznytsia's suggestion that the diplomatic train may have been the intended target, however, could increase scrutiny of the incident and its implications for the safety of foreign officials travelling in Ukraine. The available accounts establish that a Russian drone struck a train near Yahodyn shortly after the diplomatic delegation had passed through the station, but they do not independently confirm the intended target of the attack. The incident nevertheless demonstrates the continuing security risks along Ukraine's transport routes and the importance of rapid warning and evacuation systems. The fact that the diplomatic train had departed ahead of schedule before the strike may have prevented a potentially more serious incident involving senior European officials.

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