# Russian drones deliberately targeted diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Ukraine confirms

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/trains-carrying-boris-johnson-and-foreign-dignitaries-were-likely-targets-of-russian-drone-attack-ukrainian-officials-say/
- Published: 2026-09-14T18:47:06+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-15T01:06:39+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16128405/Trains-carrying-Boris-Johnson-targets-Russian-drone-attack.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Europe, Russia-Ukraine War, World

## Key points

- Ukraine says drone strike likely targeted Boris Johnson's diplomatic train
- Second train hit an hour later; no injuries reported
- Johnson defiant, vows to keep using Ukrainian railways

## Summary

Ukraine's rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, has confirmed it is "quite likely" that a Russian drone deliberately targeted a diplomatic train carrying former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, EU security advisers and other former European leaders, after the train's departure was brought forward as a precaution amid ongoing strike threats. A separate train on the same route was hit roughly an hour later, forcing passengers to flee as a stationary locomotive burst into flames just a mile inside Ukrainian territory near the Polish border; no one was injured, and a train carrying former CIA director David Petraeus was also at the station when the strike occurred. The incident has drawn attention because of the seniority of those involved and the implication that Russia may be willing to strike targets close to Nato's border.

Passengers, who had been travelling from a security conference in Kyiv, included UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt and a German MP who said the attack showed Vladimir Putin was "playing with fire" near the EU and Nato border. Mr Johnson responded defiantly, telling the Daily Mail that "nothing will deter" him from using Ukrainian railways or returning to Ukraine, while security experts described the near-miss as a possible "Mafia-style message" from the Kremlin. An anonymous British economist on another affected train described being evacuated three times over ten hours, praising Ukrainian officials for a "timely and disciplined" response.

## Coverage

- [Daily Mail: Russian drones deliberately targeted diplomatic train carrying Boris Johnson, Ukraine confirms](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16128405/Trains-carrying-Boris-Johnson-targets-Russian-drone-attack.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [The Independent: Kremlin responds after Boris Johnson’s train in near miss with Russian drone](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/boris-johnson-train-hit-drone-ukraine-putin-russia-b3049579.html)
- [BBC World: Russia hits Ukrainian train shortly after Boris Johnson and top European officials leave station](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5zg41dkqwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)
- [The Hill: Russian drone almost hit former CIA director; may have targeted Boris Johnson](https://thehill.com/policy/international/6088221-petraeus-johnson-evacuate-ukraine/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.