Russia strikes train near Poland border after European officials' visit

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that he “doesn’t know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning,” after the explosion was reported near the town of Szydłowo, close to the border with Ukraine. Polish authorities confirmed that a Ukrainian freight train, halted for routine inspections, was damaged by an explosion that caused minor injuries to railway workers and disrupted traffic on a key east‑west corridor. The blast occurred at approximately 07:30 local time and was quickly contained by emergency services, who reported no further threats in the area.

Polish officials condemned the attack as a violation of international law and called for a coordinated response with NATO allies. The Polish Ministry of Defence said it was reviewing the incident with intelligence partners to determine responsibility, while Ukrainian officials described the act as an “unprovoked aggression” against civilian infrastructure. The United Kingdom’s Foreign Office echoed the condemnation, urging a thorough investigation and reaffirming support for Poland’s security. The incident adds to rising tensions in the region, prompting heightened alert levels along the eastern borders of NATO member states.