Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was caught up in a serious security scare after a Russian drone struck a passenger train near Yahodyn, close to the Ukraine-Poland border. The incident occurred shortly after a diplomatic train carrying Johnson, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt and other European officials had passed through the station. Ukrainian railway authorities said the diplomatic train had departed earlier than scheduled because of the continuing threat of Russian attacks.
The drone struck another train at Yahodyn, forcing passengers to evacuate before the attack. No casualties were reported among the passengers or crew, but the locomotive was damaged. Johnson’s train was stopped temporarily while security personnel assessed the threat, and passengers were warned to prepare for a possible evacuation. The train was later cleared to continue its journey toward Poland.
Ukrainian state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said it was “highly probable” that the earlier diplomatic train may have been the intended target because it had left the station ahead of schedule. However, the claim remains an assessment rather than a confirmed finding that Johnson himself was specifically targeted. Other reporting has noted that the evidence establishes that the passenger train was struck shortly after the diplomatic train departed, but does not conclusively prove the drone’s intended target.
Johnson later condemned the strike, describing the attack on the railway as part of the broader danger Ukrainian civilians face from Russian attacks. He also praised railway workers and passengers who responded to the emergency and called for stronger support for Ukraine’s air defenses.
The incident has attracted particular attention because the strike occurred extremely close to Poland, a NATO member. A separate drone attack also hit a truck less than a mile from Polish territory, temporarily affecting the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing. European officials have warned that attacks near NATO territory could increase concerns about the wider security risks created by the war.
The episode highlights the continuing dangers faced by civilian transportation networks in Ukraine. It also demonstrates how quickly routine travel by foreign officials can become a security emergency as Russian drone attacks continue to reach areas near Ukraine’s western border. While it has not been conclusively established that Johnson’s train was the intended target, the timing of the strike has raised significant questions about the purpose and implications of the attack.
