A Russian drone struck a locomotive at the Yahodyn railway station near the Ukraine-Poland border on Sunday, September 13, 2026. According to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's state rail operator, the strike occurred shortly after a diplomatic train carrying several high-profile European officials had departed the station. There were no reported casualties resulting from the attack.
The incident took place as international dignitaries were returning from the Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv. Ukrzaliznytsia reported that it frequently adjusts its schedules for security purposes, and the diplomatic train had left Yahodyn ahead of its original schedule before the drone arrived.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt were among those on the diplomatic train that had already departed. A separate train carrying former CIA Director David Petraeus was still at the station at the time of the strike, according to the rail operator. Bildt stated on social media that the train hit by the drone was evacuated as the aircraft approached, and he credited the railway's safety systems for the lack of injuries.
In a statement on Telegram, Ukrzaliznytsia said it was "highly probable" that the diplomatic train was the intended target. The rail company released a photograph showing a damaged locomotive at the station, which is located near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing. In a separate incident earlier that Sunday, a Russian drone hit a truck less than a mile from the Polish border, leading to a temporary closure of the border crossing.
The incident highlights the risks faced by foreign delegations and railway workers who maintain service. For the general public and aid organizations, such strikes on civilian infrastructure can lead to disruptions in the delivery of goods and the movement of people across the Polish border. The temporary closure of the Yahodyn-Dorohusk crossing impacts commercial trucking and the transit of supplies.
The use of drones in close proximity to the Polish border continues to present risks for potential cross-border escalations. Ukrzaliznytsia indicated it will continue to use irregular scheduling to mitigate these risks. While the border crossing was only closed temporarily on Sunday, further strikes in this corridor could lead to more frequent or prolonged shutdowns of one of Ukraine's links to the European Union. No specific dates for repairs to the damaged locomotive or the station infrastructure were provided.