Russia’s military escalation is becoming a reality, with incidents increasingly occurring near the Polish border, Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated during a special intelligence briefing. Early Sunday, Polish defence systems detected an attack by over a dozen Geran-5 jet drones in western Ukraine. The Polish military responded by scrambling fighter jets and warning residents in border regions, though no violations of Polish airspace were reported.
Russia’s terrorist games
As several foreign media outlets reported, a Russian drone struck the locomotive of a passenger train carrying 206 passengers from Kyiv to Warsaw early Sunday in Ukraine’s Volyn region, just kilometres from the Polish border. Fortunately, no deaths or injuries were reported.
Another drone hit a truck near the Dorohusk-Yagodin border crossing, prompting temporary halts for other trains on the Kyiv-Warsaw route and brief passenger evacuations. One affected train carried senior European officials, diplomats, and security advisers to Poland for the YES International Security Conference in Kyiv. Participants included former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, along with Günter Sautter, an advisor to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Recent attacks indicate that the Russians are using more dangerous equipment, specifically jet drones, said Tusk. Polish PM said cooperation at border crossings among customs, police, border guards, and the military will need to be strengthened to prevent congestion, especially for vehicles carrying fuel. Discussions with the Ministry of Finance are scheduled for Monday.
Border Guard Commander-in-Chief Maj. Gen. Robert Bagan confirmed that traffic at border crossings was flowing normally after a previous temporary suspension, the PAP wrote.
Polish government evaluates the situation
Tusk acknowledged reports of an attack on trucks or a locomotive on the Kyiv-Warsaw route but stated, “We do not confirm such events.” He reiterated the threat to border crossings, citing past incidents in Moldova and expressing concern that intensified Russian actions could also affect Poland.
While he hopes the worst-case scenario won’t materialise, Tusk emphasised that recent events validate the intelligence received over the past months, suggesting worse situations are possible.
He also emphasised the ability to verify information. “I will be requesting information from the services so that we can verify all the information we receive one-on-one, especially during an emergency at night,” the prime minister said.
“There is no doubt that we, together with our allies, must be prepared to respond if necessary. This night’s attacks indicate that the Russians are ready to use more dangerous equipment than ever before. I’m talking about jet drones. Their range and precision are alarming,” he said. Tusk said that, according to information provided by Deputy Minister of National Defence Cezary Tomczyk, 13 strikes were recorded during Sunday’s Russian drone attack in western Ukraine.
