A Russian drone struck the locomotive of a Kyiv-to-Warsaw train roughly two kilometers from the Polish border on Sunday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Monday, calling the strikes near the frontier a sign of Moscow's "desperation."

The attack hit minutes after a diplomatic delegation that included former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt had passed through the same station, according to Military.com. Poland pledged to strengthen security along its border with Ukraine after the wave of strikes, some of which landed within kilometers of Polish territory, per the Associated Press.

NATO's response

Rutte said the strikes so close to "NATO territory" reflect Russian President Vladimir Putin's desperation and his desire to "sow fear and terror." He insisted the 32-nation alliance will not be deterred from backing Kyiv, building on commitments made at this year's Ankara Summit, where allies pledged roughly €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine in 2026.

DESPERATION AND ALSO HIS DESIRE TO SOW FEAR AND TERROR

The incident is the latest in a string of Russian strikes edging closer to NATO's eastern flank, following earlier drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace this year that prompted allied jets to scramble. European officials have increasingly framed the pattern as a test of NATO's resolve rather than an isolated escalation.

No casualties were reported in Sunday's train strike, but the near-miss with a senior European delegation has sharpened alarm in Warsaw and Brussels alike, with additional NATO air-policing assets expected to be discussed at upcoming alliance meetings.