Polish authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine following a Russian drone attack on Sunday that destroyed a gas station and a locomotive near the Dorohusk-Yahodyn border crossing. The incident, which occurred just short of the Polish frontier, has heightened concerns about the spillover of Moscow’s military campaign into neighboring NATO territory.
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, told broadcaster TVN that the targeting of border crossings—similar to recent attacks in Moldova and Romania—is an attempt to deter countries from aiding Kyiv. “Support for Ukraine is part of Poland’s reason of state,” he stated, emphasizing that Ukraine’s defeat would severely compromise Poland’s own security.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency meeting with security ministers and senior military commanders on Monday to discuss bolstering border defenses. Tusk described the event as an escalation of Russian activities and confirmed he would consult with European allies to ensure a coordinated response if necessary.
The targeted train was traveling from Kyiv to Warsaw. Among those aboard were several prominent political figures, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, and Günter Sautter, an adviser to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. All passengers and crew were evacuated safely after the train was stopped prior to the strike.
Katarzyna Piskorska, a political scientist who organized the Warsaw Security Forum and was also on the train, reported that while the situation was tense, everyone remained calm and followed evacuation protocols. She noted that rather than intimidating the passengers, the attack strengthened their resolve to increase support for Ukraine.
Despite the government’s steadfast stance, domestic opinion appears to be shifting. A mid-July survey indicated that support for continued military aid to Kyiv has dropped to 52%, down from 77.5% immediately after the 2022 invasion. Piskorska argued that Russia has effectively won the propaganda war in Poland, while Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed concern over what he termed a “radical shift in sentiment” and the spread of Russian disinformation.
Polish media have also raised alarms. The daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza warned that the Kremlin is signaling its willingness to target Polish citizens, describing recent incidents as acts on the threshold of war. Meanwhile, Rzeczpospolita stated that Putin is “knocking on NATO’s door” through these provocations.
Incidents involving Russian drones are becoming increasingly frequent in Poland. On Monday, an unarmed reconnaissance drone was found on a beach near Jaroslawiec on the Baltic coast. Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz cautioned that while it is unclear where Russia believes the limits of escalation lie, Moscow appears prepared to go even further.
I find it hard to believe former UK PM Boris Johnson was casually riding a train to Warsaw. Suspicious detail.
The fact that former leaders were on that train is terrifying. Glad everyone escaped, but this escalation feels very dangerous.
Support dropping to 52% is alarming. Is Russia’s disinformation campaign really winning the propaganda war already?