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Russia strikes station passed by train carrying former UK PM Johnson: He escaped by minutes

Ukrainian officials announced that a Russian drone strike targeted a different train at the Yahodyn station just minutes after the train carrying former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior European security officials had departed.

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It has been reported that Russia launched an air strike on a route used by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior European security officials as they were returning from a conference in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. According to Ukrainian officials, shortly after the train carrying Johnson, UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell, and other senior European officials departed from the Yahodyn station on the Ukraine-Poland border, a jet-powered drone (UAV) struck the locomotive of another train located at the station. It was stated that there were no casualties or injuries in the attack. Officials announced that all European diplomats are safe.

"The train carrying diplomats was targeted"

The Ukraine-based railway company Ukrzaliznytsia argued that the attack might have directly targeted the train carrying the diplomatic delegation from Europe. Company officials explained that due to intense attack threats from Russia, train schedules were adjusted, and the train in question departed from the station earlier than planned. According to officials, passengers on the train were given an evacuation order approximately 15 minutes before the attack. The strike reportedly occurred about 2 kilometers from the Ukraine-Poland border. Ukrainian officials also reported that former CIA Director David Petraeus was on a different train at the same station during the attack.

Johnson: "Putin’s logic is twisted"

In a statement on his social media account following the attack, Boris Johnson criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin. Johnson stated, "I don't know what the twisted logic is that drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning."

Stating that the attack was an example of the "random and senseless attacks" that Ukrainians are subjected to every day, Johnson noted that even civilian railway lines were being targeted. Johnson also held Putin responsible for the deaths of Ukrainian railway workers and called on Kyiv's allies to urgently provide Ukraine with the air defense systems it needs.

Polish Prime Minister Tusk held an emergency meeting

The fact that the attack took place so close to the Ukraine-Poland border also caused alarm in Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held an emergency meeting following the developments. In his statement regarding the incident, Tusk said, "The escalation of actions carried out by Russia is becoming a reality and is getting closer and closer to our border."

Russia: "Railway infrastructure was targeted"

In a statement made by Russia, it was stated that an attack was carried out on Ukraine's railway infrastructure. Moscow's statement did not include any mention that the train carrying the European delegation was specifically targeted.

Diplomats were returning from the YES conference

Johnson and other senior European security advisors had attended the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference in Kyiv, which brings together leaders and experts from the fields of politics, business, security, and media.