Strikes near the border crossing

Russian drone strikes targeted Ukrainian railway and border infrastructure in western Ukraine overnight and early in the morning on 13 September 2026. A strike hit the engine of a passenger train travelling on the line between Kyiv and Warsaw, approximately two kilometres from the Polish border. Another drone struck near a petrol station in the vicinity of the Yahodyn-Dorohusk crossing, one of the primary transit arteries between Ukraine and the European Union. Rail authorities evacuated the passenger carriages before the impact, preventing casualties despite structural damage to the locomotive.

The state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia warned passengers to prepare for emergency evacuations across the network and placed its monitoring personnel on highest alert following the barrage.

“A systematic attack on the railways is underway across the country. Our surveillance center and employees were placed on highest alert.”

Dignitaries evacuated on special train

The hit train was running only minutes behind a special rail service carrying high-ranking European political figures returning from the Yalta European Strategy security conference in Kyiv. The summit had gathered foreign delegations to discuss the progression of the war and peace negotiation prospects with the Ukrainian leadership. Passengers on the leading train included former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, and Günter Sauter, who serves as an adviser to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Around 5:00 AM, onboard staff awakened the passengers and initiated emergency evacuation procedures following a drone warning in the sector. The train stopped on the tracks until the threat passed. The all-clear signal was issued shortly after, permitting the delegation to proceed unharmed across the border into Poland. Carl Bildt confirmed that the subsequent train, trailing just minutes behind their carriage, sustained a direct strike to its engine.

Official reactions from Kyiv and Moscow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the strikes deliberately targeted non-military transport and energy networks in western regions rarely hit compared to eastern frontlines. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha argued that Russian military actions were directly reaching the boundaries of Western alliances.

“Russian barbarians are at your gates, dear partners.”

Sybiha called on allied nations to respond by imposing the full weight of international sanctions against Moscow. The Russian Ministry of Defence acknowledged targeting rail infrastructure in western Ukraine, stating that these transport networks were actively used to deliver European military cargo into the country.

Security alarms in Poland

The close proximity of the strikes prompted Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to convene an emergency meeting with security officials in Warsaw. Tusk assessed that Russian military activities near the frontier pose increasing risks for neighbouring NATO members.

“The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intense action by the Russian side.”

Tusk added that Poland cannot rule out that this military escalation could affect Polish territory directly in the near future. German member of parliament Robin Wagener stated that the attacks represent a dangerous escalation, intended as a direct political message to European governments supporting Kyiv.