From the Guardian · · 2m
A drone hit the train, minutes after Johnson passed
A Russian drone struck a passenger train near the Polish border just after a convoy of Western VIPs rolled through, and Europe's answer was to send more.
In brief
A Russian drone struck a passenger train near the Polish border just after a convoy of Western VIPs rolled through, and Europe's answer was to send more. Russia is now striking Ukraine's western border crossings and lifelines, and the West is reading it as intimidation to be answered with more aid, not less…
A drone hit the train
A Russian drone struck a passenger train on Ukraine's border with Poland on Sunday, sending smoke and flames up near the crossing at Rymachi in Volyn region.
Minutes from a VIP convoy
A train carrying Boris Johnson, former Swedish PM Carl Bildt and several European security advisers had passed the border crossing shortly before. It was running ahead of schedule.
Petraeus was still at the station
Ukrainian Railways said the early train may have been the intended target. A second train, with former CIA director David Petraeus aboard, was still sitting at Yahodyn station when the drone hit.
Nato calls it desperation
Mark Rutte said the strike showed how far Putin had slipped, and that the alliance would read it as a reason to do more, not less.
“He thinks that he can stops us from supporting Ukraine and that he can undermine our unity. He is wrong.”
Europe hears a message
France's Jean-Noël Barrot said the aim was to intimidate and divide Europeans. The EU's Kaja Kallas said the right response is to prove it did not work.
“We should show that we are there for Ukraine and we are not scared off.”
Money as the answer
Kallas's office pointed to a newly approved €6.1bn tranche of the EU's €90bn loan to Ukraine as the concrete reply, framed as better equipment for Ukraine's own defence.
A brutal night, 450 drones
More than 450 Russian drones and missiles hit Ukraine overnight, killing at least six and injuring over 40. Ukraine intercepted 405 drones and four missiles. Quieter western Ukraine took a heavy share.
Poland saw it coming
Donald Tusk said allied intelligence had warned of a plan to paralyse Ukraine's border crossings, and that Poland cannot rule out the escalation reaching its own territory.
“The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intensive actions on the Russian side.”
What it means
Russia is now striking Ukraine's western border crossings and lifelines, and the West is reading it as intimidation to be answered with more aid, not less.
