Boris Johnson and Carl Bildt escape Russian drone strike near Polish border
In brief
- Boris Johnson and Carl Bildt evacuated from chartered train after Russian drone warning near Polish border on September 13
- Russian drone struck Kyiv-Warsaw passenger train locomotive carrying 206 travelers approximately 2 kilometers from Polish territory
- All passengers safely evacuated with no injuries; drone hit locomotive, preventing potential casualties in passenger carriages
- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called strike deliberate attack on civilian infrastructure; Polish PM Tusk warned of escalation risk
A close call on the rails
Johnson and Bildt's train was cleared to continue moments before the strike occurred. The timing proved decisive. A Russian drone hit the locomotive, not the passenger carriages, a detail that likely prevented casualties on a fully loaded cross-border service. Ukrainian rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia confirmed that all passengers were safely evacuated with no injuries sustained.
The incident marks the latest in an escalating pattern of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine's rail infrastructure. Over 1,700 railway staff have lost their lives due to the conflict, according to Ukrzaliznytsia, underscoring the sustained targeting of Ukraine's transport network since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Statements and warnings
Johnson took to social media afterward, calling the attack "random and senseless." Carl Bildt pointed to a broader pattern of ongoing intensification of Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the strike as a deliberate attack on civilian infrastructure, not a stray munition or a battlefield accident. The distinction carries weight. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded sharply, warning about potential escalation given the strike's proximity to NATO borders.
The proximity to NATO territory echoes concerns raised after a November 2022 incident. A missile landed in the Polish village of Przewodow, killing two people, which was ultimately attributed to a stray Ukrainian air defense missile. That precedent underscores how quickly civilian casualties can mount when strikes occur near international boundaries.
