Russian drone hits Ukrainian train near Polish border as Western officials depart

A Russian attack drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train at Yahodyn station in Ukraine's Volyn region on the morning of September 13, approximately two kilometers from the Polish border. Ukrainian Railways reported no casualties because an evacuation order was issued 15 minutes before impact.

The strike occurred as a diplomatic convoy returned from the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former CIA Director David Petraeus, British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's foreign policy adviser Günter Sautter were aboard nearby trains at the time.

“This is Putin's terror, which is 'knocking' directly on the doors of the EU and NATO.”

Ukrainian Railways chief Oleksandr Pertsovskyi said Russian forces had attacked railway infrastructure — including depots, stations, and rolling stock — continuously for two days. The strikes have disrupted train schedules nationwide, with some services delayed by up to 18 hours.

A separate drone strike hit a gas station near the Yahodyn border crossing, injuring two truck drivers and damaging a supermarket, according to Ukrainian media citing Suspilne. Yahodyn is a major road crossing between Ukraine and Poland.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the attacks near the Polish border as "Putin's terror, which is 'knocking' directly on the doors of the EU and NATO." Russia's Defense Ministry said it targeted "railway infrastructure facilities supporting the transport of military cargo from European countries."