A recent Russian drone strike near the Ukraine-Poland frontier has ignited serious concern among European leaders. The early Sunday morning attack, targeting a Warsaw-bound train, was designed to frighten Western countries. This, in turn, aimed to halt their crucial backing for Kyiv, declared EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday.
Kallas spoke to reporters in Finland, attending an Arctic summit. She asserted that the strike clearly sought to deter nations from demonstrating their support in Ukraine. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot echoed these sentiments, stating the actions were meant “to intimidate Europeans, discourage them and above all to divide them.”
Ukraine’s state rail operator confirmed the drone hit the locomotive of a passenger train. This occurred just two kilometers from the border in the Volyn region. Fortunately, nobody was injured in the incident.
However, officials suggest this particular Russian drone strike may have had a more specific, high-level target. A train carrying prominent Western security officials had passed along the same line shortly beforehand. Among the passengers were former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former CIA chief David Petraeus, and U.K. National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell.
Ukraine’s rail operator believes the diplomatic train was quite likely the intended target. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry issued a statement. It claimed strikes on railway infrastructure in western Ukraine were used for “transporting military cargo” from Europe.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reacted strongly on X. He warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces are “knocking directly on the doors of the EU and NATO.” Therefore, Sybiha urged allies to impose the “full weight of your sanctions” on Putin’s aggressive regime.
Concerns about Russian provocations at Europe’s borders have grown. Earlier this month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of impending threats. This followed a previous Russian strike at a Moldova-Ukraine border crossing, which tragically killed two individuals.
Moreover, Russia has faced allegations linked to other incidents. These include an explosive drone near Leipzig airport in Germany, a sea drone detonated by Romania in the Black Sea, and reports of a plot to assassinate the head of German arms producer Rheinmetall.
