Ukraine Says Passenger Train Headed to Warsaw Hit by Drone

On 13 September, Russia launched a drone attack on a passenger train just two kilometers from Ukraine's border with Poland, marking an expansion of their drone strikes into Western Ukraine. The attack occurred near the Yahodyn border crossing, with the Russian drone hitting the train's locomotive, though the crew was warned and no casualties resulted.

Simultaneously, a gas station in the area was also targeted, causing a significant fire. This incident comes after a series of Russian drone strikes on Ukraine's railway network, including attacks in Lutsk and Fastiv on 12 September, where passengers were evacuated. Russia's drone fleet is increasingly being used to target transport, logistics, industrial, and civilian infrastructure deep within Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia has launched around 2,100 drones against Ukraine in the past week, alongside nearly 1,700 guided aerial bombs and 78 missiles. Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia is using its upgraded Geran drones to affect the economy and people's lives. The attacks against Ukraine's borders and transportation infrastructure have raised concerns, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warning that Russia could target Ukrainian border crossings with other countries, including Poland.

The strike near Yahodyn occurred just three days after Tusk's warning, prompting Poland to issue an air-raid alert for areas near the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of deliberately expanding the geography of its terror, targeting civilians, trains, and infrastructure as the war fails to meet its objectives on the front.

Sybiha called for stronger air defenses and counter-drone measures, urging European countries to respond with stronger sanctions.