Poland, Ukraine accuse Russia of ‘escalation’ after strikes near border

What the report says

Poland and Ukraine accused Russia of escalating the war after a strike hit a passenger train near the Polish-Ukrainian border, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AFP. Ukrainian rail officials said the Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck about 2 kilometres from Poland, with no reported casualties. The incident drew added attention because former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former US CIA director David Petraeus were reported to be at or near a nearby border station around the same time, though the operator did not say how close they were to the damaged train.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow had deliberately targeted the locomotive. Polish President Donald Tusk said the Russian Federation’s actions were increasingly close to Poland’s border, while Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the attack should prompt allies to strengthen support for Ukraine. The comments reflect concern in Warsaw that the fighting could spill closer to NATO territory, especially because the border region is an important route for military and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.

Al Jazeera also noted that Johnson criticized the strike as senseless and praised Ukrainian rail workers. The article placed the incident in the wider context of Russia’s continued use of drones and missiles against Ukraine, including attacks that have at times crossed into Polish territory in the past.