Boris Johnson condemns Russian drone strike near Polish border
Boris Johnson has hit out at Vladimir Putin after a Russian drone targeted the railway line he was travelling on, reports BritPanorama.
The former prime minister was alerted at 5am on Sunday as he returned from a security conference in Kyiv after another passenger train behind his was forced to evacuate near Yagodyn, close to the Polish border.
In a post on X, Mr Johnson wrote: “I don’t know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning.”
It is understood the route was frequently used by foreign delegations returning from Kyiv, but Mr Johnson was not evacuated or delayed by the incident. Sources indicated that none of the “VIP” trains carrying European officials were involved in the attack.
An ordinary passenger train was evacuated, believed to be due to a gas station hit near the train. Another train carriage sitting in the sidings was also hit, though it was not part of a running service.
Ukraine’s railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, stated on Telegram: “It is entirely possible that the Russian drone’s intended target was the diplomatic train, which departed the station earlier than scheduled after train timetables were adjusted in real time because of the constant threat of Russian strikes.”
The operator additionally reported that a train in Volyn, just a mile from the Polish border, was hit, but fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident.
Mr Johnson continued: “What we can say for sure is that this is the kind of random and senseless attack Ukrainians are enduring every day – even on civilian railways. So far, Putin has been responsible for the deaths of 1,700 staff of Ukrzaliznytsia – Ukrainian Railways. They and their daily passengers are absolutely heroic.
“When are we going to give them the air defences they need? Why won’t we unfreeze Putin’s cash and give it to Ukraine? There is more than €140 billion in a Belgian bank account – and about £10 billion in London. Britain could show a lead.
“The Ukrainians are going to win – that much was clear from the last three days in their wonderful country. But we will get this dreadful war over much faster if we all get serious and give them what they need and deserve.”
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when Mr Johnson was in power, he has maintained a close alliance with the Ukrainian people. As prime minister, he was among the first world leaders to offer significant humanitarian and military support to Ukraine.
He has continued to be outspoken in his support for Ukraine in its battle against Vladimir Putin since leaving office.
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden, remarked on X: “This wasn’t our train, but the one just minutes after us by the border crossing. It was evacuated as the drone approached and no one was hurt.”
The attack on the passenger train was one of multiple strikes along the border, with a Polish border guard spokesperson noting that a Russian drone had struck near the Ukrainian-Polish border in the small town of Yahodyn overnight, situated less than a mile from the Polish border.
Ukraine maintains several border crossings with Poland, through which a considerable amount of military and humanitarian aid from its allies is delivered to the nation.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Moscow’s “barbaric strikes” on the Ukrainian-Polish border on Sunday, referring to the latest strike as indicative of a broader threat.
“Russia’s barbaric strikes at the Ukraine-Poland border in Yahodyn are not just a continuation of its attacks on our state borders,” Mr Sybiha stated on X. “This is Putin’s terror ‘knocking’ directly on the doors of the EU and Nato. Russian barbarians are at your gate, dear partners.”
Russia’s defence ministry claimed it had targeted infrastructure facilitating military cargoes from Europe in Western Ukraine. Ukraine is heavily reliant on trade and arms shipments from crossing with Poland, Romania, and Moldova.
In recent weeks, Russia has escalated its targeting of Ukraine’s border crossings with its Western allies, marking a significant shift in strategy as both sides seek to undermine each other’s economic infrastructure more than four years into the ongoing invasion.
