Key facts
- Russia's drone strike on a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border was intended to deter Western support for Ukraine, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
- The attack occurred shortly after a train carrying prominent Western officials, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, had passed the same route.
- Ukrainian Railways suggested the diplomatic train may have been the target.
- The Russian defense ministry stated it targeted railway infrastructure used for military cargo.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the strikes were designed to intimidate Europeans and divide them.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of upcoming intensive Russian actions that could affect Polish territory.
Russia's drone strike on a passenger train near the Ukraine-Poland border on Sunday was intended to intimidate Western countries into ceasing their support for Kyiv, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Kallas made the remarks on Monday while attending an Arctic conference in Finland.
"This is clearly intended to frighten Western countries into ceasing their support for Ukraine, into refraining from going there to demonstrate their support," Kallas told reporters. Her sentiment was echoed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who stated the strikes were designed "to intimidate Europeans, discourage them and above all to divide them."
Ukrainian Railways confirmed that the drone hit the locomotive of a passenger train approximately two kilometers from the border in the Volyn region. The attack occurred shortly after a train carrying several security advisers from European countries, including former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former CIA chief David Petraeus, and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, had passed along the same line. Ukrainian Railways suggested this diplomatic train may have been the actual target.
The Russian defense ministry issued a statement claiming it had struck railway infrastructure in western Ukraine that was used to "transport military cargo" from Europe. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Ukraine's allies to "throw the full weight of your sanctions at Putin’s aggressive regime."
Overnight attacks across Ukraine involved more than 450 Russian drones and missiles, killing at least six people and injuring more than 40. Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 405 drones and four missiles. Western Ukraine was particularly badly hit.
The strikes prompted air raid warnings in Poland and came as EU diplomats met in Brussels for talks on extending sanctions against Russian individuals and entities. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had previously warned of impending threats to Europe's borders following Russian attacks.