Russian drone hits train two km from Polish border, rail operator says
Drone Strike Hits Passenger Train Near Poland as Russia Expands Air Assault
Poinews.com – A Russian drone hit the locomotive of a passenger train in Ukraine’s Volyn region on Sunday, just two kilometres from the Polish border, Ukraine’s state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said. No casualties were believed to have resulted from the strike, despite the train’s proximity to an international border and the scale of the overnight attack.
The railway operator said its threat-monitoring staff identified the danger before the impact and warned the train crew early enough for protective measures to be taken for passengers and employees. The incident marked the second consecutive day of attacks targeting railway infrastructure.
“For the second day in a row, the enemy has been attacking the railways. Today in the Volyn region, two km from the border with Poland, the enemy struck the locomotive of a passenger train,” Ukrzaliznytsia said on Telegram.
Rail travel has remained an essential means of transport across Ukraine during the war, connecting communities, moving people away from threatened areas and providing routes to the country’s western borders. An attack on a passenger locomotive so close to Poland underlines the pressure placed on transport links that connect Ukraine with European partners.
Large overnight barrage reaches western regions
The train strike came during a wider Russian air offensive that reached areas of western Ukraine near Poland. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched more than 450 drones overnight, including jet-powered drones and Banderol missile drones.
At least three people were killed and 36 others injured in the overnight strikes. The barrage affected areas far beyond the immediate front line, with the western attacks prompting temporary safety restrictions at Polish-Ukrainian border crossings.
Ukrzaliznytsia said it was continuing to track threats in the air while working to keep services operating.
“We are continuing to monitor aerial threats, ensure the smooth running of trains and take every possible measure to ensure the safety of passengers and railway staff,” it added.
The episode illustrates the operational challenge for railway staff and passengers during large-scale drone raids: warnings can interrupt or slow journeys, while crews must make rapid decisions to reduce risk without bringing vital travel routes to a standstill.
Border crossings briefly restricted
Polish border authorities temporarily halted checks overnight because of safety concerns linked to the strikes on the Ukrainian side. The restrictions were later lifted at the crossings in Dorohusk, Zosin and Dołhobyczów, while processing at Hrebenne was also expected to restart.
Major Dariusz Sienicki, a Border Guard spokesperson, said there had been no direct threat recorded at Polish crossing points. Ukrainian authorities nevertheless informed Poland that a drone had hit and destroyed a lorry about 800 metres from the Jagodzin crossing.
The short-lived disruption showed how attacks inside Ukraine can affect everyday cross-border movement even when Polish territory is not hit. The crossings are important transit points for travellers, commercial traffic and broader links between Ukraine and the European Union.
Train carrying officials stopped during alert
A separate train travelling from Kyiv towards Poland was stopped and partly evacuated during drone warnings on Sunday morning. Among those on board was former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, along with political figures and diplomats.
The precaution was taken while aerial threats were being assessed. It added another visible reminder that civilian transport continues to operate under the risk of sudden air-raid measures, including on routes used by international visitors and officials.
Poland mobilises aircraft but reports no breach
Poland’s armed forces activated measures to protect national airspace in response to the attacks in western Ukraine. Polish aircraft and other preventive assets were deployed, while residents of the Lublin and Podkarpackie regions received a Government Centre for Security alert about Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory and Polish military aviation activity.
The warning remained in place for roughly five hours before being cancelled at about 9am. Shortly before 10am, the Operational Command of the Armed Forces said military aircraft were no longer operating in Polish airspace. It stressed that Poland’s border and airspace had not been violated.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland’s systems had detected an early-morning attack involving Geran-5 drones in western Ukraine. He said one drone struck one kilometre from the Polish border and another five kilometres away.
“One of them struck 1 km from the border with Poland, another 5 km. The Polish airspace was guarded by F16 aircraft, helicopters, and the SAAB airborne reconnaissance aircraft. There was no breach of our border,” he said.
The deployment reflects Poland’s role as a frontline NATO state bordering Ukraine. While the strikes occurred on Ukrainian soil, drone activity near the frontier requires close monitoring because of the potential for debris, navigation errors or escalation concerns near allied territory.
Kyiv calls for stronger measures against Moscow
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha framed the attacks near the border as a warning to Ukraine’s European partners, arguing that the danger was not limited to Ukraine’s own territory.
“This is Putin’s terror ‘knocking’ directly on the doors of the EU and NATO. Russian barbarians are at your gate, dear partners,” he wrote on X.
Sybiha called for additional punitive measures against Moscow, including a full trade embargo, complete entry bans and full sanctions on Russia’s military-industrial complex.
“Make Moscow feel the consequences of its terror. Not just half-decisions, but uncompromising, powerful steps. Full trade embargo. Full entry bans. Full sanctions on the military-industrial complex,” he urged.
For now, rail traffic and Polish border processing have returned toward normal operation. But the drone strike on the Volyn passenger train, alongside attacks within a few kilometres of Poland, has again placed Ukraine’s western transport routes and the security of the EU and NATO frontier under intense scrutiny.
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