Why Boris Johnson? Putin’s Long-Running Grudge in Focus After Train Strike
A near-miss Russian drone strike at Yahodyn station has cast fresh light on Vladimir Putin’s long-running hostility toward Boris Johnson. The former British prime minister has stood near the top of the Kremlin’s list of Western adversaries because of his early and outspoken support for Ukraine’s defense.
The near-collision at Yahodyn railway station has sparked speculation about whether the Russian drone was directed at more than just railway infrastructure. Ukrzaliznytsia, the Ukrainian rail operator, stated that the targeted individual could have been former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, and European security officials who were on a diplomatic train that had departed from the station early.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long criticized Johnson for his role in bolstering Western support for Ukraine during Russia's 2022 invasion. He has accused Johnson of preventing a peace deal at the 2022 Istanbul talks and portrayed him as prolonging the conflict. Johnson has dismissed these claims as Russian disinformation, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also denied that Johnson dissuaded Ukraine from reaching a settlement.
The former British leader, however, has consistently returned to Ukraine and has utilized Ukrzaliznytsia's rail service for his travels. The attack on a stationary locomotive, which included former CIA Director David Petraeus, has added to concerns that Russia may be targeting key Western figures in Ukraine. Johnson criticized the incident as a "random and senseless attack" that Ukrainians face daily, and called for stronger air defenses and the release of frozen Russian assets to Kyiv.
He argued that the war could end sooner if the international community provides Ukraine with the necessary support.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
