Poland’s government has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine after a Russian drone attack near the Poland-Ukraine border, saying the incident requires stronger security measures and a coordinated response with allies. The attack early Sunday destroyed a gas station and the locomotive of a passenger train near the Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossing, according to DW.
The passenger train was travelling on the Kyiv-Warsaw line when it was hit shortly before reaching the Polish border. All passengers and crew were evacuated, while two special trains carrying participants returning from a security conference in Kyiv were nearby. DW reported that those passengers included former leaders and senior security-policy figures from several European countries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told broadcaster TVN that attacks near border crossings were intended to discourage people and deter countries from supporting Ukraine. He said backing Kyiv was part of Poland’s national interest because Poland’s security would worsen if Ukraine lost the war.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk met security ministers and senior military commanders on Monday to discuss measures to strengthen the country’s borders. Tusk described Russia’s actions as an escalation and said Poland should be ready, if necessary, to respond alongside its European allies. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the response would be “nonprovocative but serious” and designed to reinforce security.
Katarzyna Piskorska, a Polish political scientist who was on one of the nearby trains, told TVN that passengers had been stopped and evacuated according to a plan. She said the incident had strengthened the determination of those affected to support Ukraine, while also describing the mood in Ukraine as worse than at any point since the war began. DW said Piskorska pointed to newer, faster drones equipped with jet engines.
The government’s position comes as support for continued military aid to Kyiv has weakened in Poland. DW cited a mid-July survey in which 52% supported continued aid and 45% opposed it, compared with 77.5% support and 18.3% opposition after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Kosiniak-Kamysz warned of growing skepticism and alleged that forces in Poland were spreading Russian propaganda.
Polish officials also face recurring incidents involving suspected Russian activity. DW reported that an apparently unarmed drone washed up on the Baltic coast on Monday, with a preliminary investigation indicating it may have been intended for reconnaissance. Kosiniak-Kamysz said Warsaw did not know where Russia saw the limits of escalation, but believed Moscow was prepared to go further.