On September 13, 2026, a Russian jet-powered drone attacked the locomotive of a civilian UZ (Ukrainian Railways) train at Yagodyn railway station in Volyn Oblast. At the time of the attack, a diplomatic train was located near the locomotive; according to the carrier and the German publication Der Spiegel, it carried security advisers from several EU countries, European politicians, and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Thanks to the swift actions of railway workers, no passengers or staff members were injured.

How the attack and evacuation unfolded

According to UZ, the enemy jet-powered drone was detected in time by a dispatcher of the Central Monitoring Group. The emergency evacuation signal from the train was issued approximately 15 minutes before the direct hit on the locomotive. It was precisely this promptness that allowed passengers and staff to be evacuated before the impact, preventing any casualties or injuries.

Who was at the station at the moment of the strike

Shortly before the attack, a diplomatic train was standing at Yagodyn station. According to the carrier's statements, on board were security advisers from several EU countries and European politicians, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Der Spiegel additionally reported that the special train carried German Chancellor's adviser Günter Zautter and other European diplomats. At the time of the attack, former CIA Director David Petraeus was at the station in a neighboring train.

UZ's version of the strike's target

UZ believes that the target of the Russian drone may have been the diplomatic train itself. According to the carrier, it left the station earlier than the scheduled timetable due to schedule adjustments made for security reasons. The company emphasizes that it regularly changes routes in real time, responding to the constant threat of targeted strikes by Russia near the Ukrainian-Polish border.

Boris Johnson's reaction

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson publicly reacted to the Russian strike on Yagodyn station, describing Moscow's actions as a manifestation of "Putin's twisted logic." His statement came amid reports that the diplomatic train had been evacuated in time, so no one was injured in the incident.

Contradictory data

The statements of the parties differ in details. UZ claims that the diplomatic train left the station before the scheduled time, i.e., before the drone hit the locomotive. Meanwhile, Der Spiegel reports that the special train carrying European diplomats and Boris Johnson was "nearby" at the time of the attack. The description of the passenger composition also does not fully match: some sources emphasize the EU advisers and Boris Johnson, while others add the name of the Chancellor's adviser Günter Zautter, and David Petraeus's presence is described as being in a "neighboring train" at the moment of the strike. These inconsistencies in chronology and composition require additional verification.