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Ukraine-Russia war latest: First naval drone battle takes place in Black Sea as latest strikes kill 12

Ukraine-Russia war latest: First naval drone battle takes place in Black Sea as latest strikes kill 12

Independent September 13, 2026

Ukraine’s foreign minister warned on Sunday that Vladimir Putin was “knocking on Nato’s door” after a Russian drone struck a passenger train just two kilometres from the Polish border.

A drone hit the engine carriage of a train near the Yahodyn crossing point earlier on Sunday. The vehicle had already been evacuated after Ukraine learned of the incoming strike, and nobody was injured.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson was on a train on the same railway line affected , although he was unharmed and travelled without delay.

“I don’t know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning,” he said. “What we can say for sure is that this is the kind of random and senseless attack Ukrainians are enduring every day - even on civilian railways.”

“This is Putin’s terror “knocking” directly on the doors of the EU and NATO. Russian barbarians are at your gate, dear partners.”

Meanwhile, when asked the war during his visit to Ireland, US president Donald Trump only urged Ukraine to stop hitting Russian diesel refineries, which is contributing to higher prices for American farmers.

First naval drone battle takes place in Black Sea as latest strikes kill 12

A Ukrainian sea drone shot and destroyed a Russian unmanned boat in what Volodymyr Zelensky’s navy says marks the “first-ever naval battle” between maritime drones.

The Ukrainian Sargan 3000 unmanned naval boat identified the Russian drone on the Black Sea and attacked with its powerful 12.7mm turret, the navy said on Telegram.

Footage shared from the Ukrainian drone showed a volley of fire hitting the other boat, which erupted with thick grey smoke before sinking. It was unclear when or exactly where the video was taken.

At least 12 people were killed on Saturday as the war on the ground raged on. Authorities in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih regions reported fatalities.

The Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region also reported that three people were killed in Ukrainian attacks.

Putin 'knocking on Nato's door' with strike near Polish border, says Ukrainian FM

Ukraine’s foreign minister on Sunday warned that Vladimir Putin was “knocking directly on the doors of the EU and Nato” after a train was struck near the border with Poland.

Russia’s barbaric strikes at the Ukraine-Poland border in Yahodyn are not just a continuation of its attacks on our state borders,” Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

“This is Putin’s terror “knocking” directly on the doors of the EU and NATO. Russian barbarians are at your gate, dear partners.”

He added: “Act now: throw the full weight of your sanctions at Putin’s aggressive regime. Make Moscow feel the consequences of its terror. Not just half-decisions, but uncompromising, powerful steps. Full trade embargo. Full entry bans. Full sanctions on the military-industrial complex.”

Nato jet scrambled to Lithuania ‘drone sighting’

A Nato jet summoned over a possible drone sighting near Lithuania’s main airport was stood down – after the potential threat was confirmed to be a flock of birds.

The sighting on Saturday prompted the closure of Vilnius airport and prompted at least one Nato fighter jet to be summoned to respond.

The air alert was lifted and ⁠the airport reopened within 38 minutes, after ​the ⁠jet spotted the birds, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre said.

Nato jet scrambled to Lithuania ‘drone threat’ turns out to be flock of birds

Recap: Russian drone hits train just 2km from Polish border

A Russian drone on Sunday struck a train near a Polish border crossing with Ukraine that had earlier been used by visiting politicians.

The drone hit the engine carriage of the train, which had already been evacuated from the rest of the train after Ukraine learned of the incoming strike. Nobody was injured.

The aerial drone came down just two kilometres from the Polish border, near the Yahodyn crossing point.

The line had earlier been used by politicians coming back from a summit in Kyiv, including former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.

"For the second day in a row, the enemy has been attacking the railways. Today in the Volyn region, two km from the border with Poland, the enemy struck the locomotive of a passenger train," rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia said on Telegram.

The strike occurred as Russia launched its biggest drone barrage on Ukraine in months. Ukraine’s air force tallied 450 drones launched overnight, including jet-propelled drones and Banderol missile drones.

BREAKER Boris Johnson hits out at Putin after Russian drone struck train just behind his

Boris Johnson hits out at Putin after Russian drone struck train behind his

Russia drone hit ordinary passenger train not VIPs

David Maddox, political editor reports:

After The Independent was first to confirm that Boris Johnson was not in the train hit by a Russian drone near the Polish border, it has emerged that the wreckage now being seen on social media was an ordinary passenger train.

According to sources none of the “VIP” trains with European officials and Mr Johnson returning from Kyiv were evacuated or involved in the attack.

An ordinary passenger train was evacuated but is believed to be as a result of a gas station very close by being hit rather than the train itself.

Another train locomotive carriage that was sat in the sidings was hit but was not moving or part of a running service.This all happened around Yagodyn which is very close to the Polish border.

It is understood though that Mr Johnson was returning from a security conference in Kyiv when he was woken up by guards at 5am and told to prepare for an evacuation.

In the end no evacuation took place and an all-clear was given shortly afterwards when no further drones were detected, enabling Mr Johnson’s train to continue its journey.

The former PM was unharmed.

Kremlin acknowledges targeting 'everything and anything' in Ukraine

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged on Sunday that Russia had started striking “everything and anything” in Ukraine after Kyiv began hitting economic targets deep inside Russia.

"The Russian Federation did not strike everything and anything," he told reporters, before adding: "It started doing so after the Ukrainians themselves opened Pandora's box."

Kyiv preparing for talks to resume in October, senior Ukrainian official says

Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said on Saturday that Kyiv was preparing for the resumption in October of three-sided talks aimed at resolving the more than four-year-old war with Russia.

Kyrylo Budanov told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Kyiv that Ukraine was readying itself for the prospect of new talks involving Russia and the United States.

"We are getting ready. In October," Budanov was quoted as saying.

Budanov was speaking several days after US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks in both Moscow and Kyiv. It was their first such visit to Moscow since February and their first visit to the Ukrainian capital.

The last three-sided meeting took place in Geneva in February. US-led diplomatic efforts had stalled as Washington was focused on the conflict with Iran.

Witkoff said after visiting both capitals that they welcomed new momentum in proceeding with talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow did not rule out a resumption of peace talks but added that it was too early to say when and where such talks might take place.

Putin 'knocking on Nato's door' with strike near Polish border, says Ukrainian FM

Ukraine’s foreign minister on Sunday warned that Vladimir Putin was “knocking directly on the doors of the EU and Nato” after a train was struck near the border with Poland.

Russia’s barbaric strikes at the Ukraine-Poland border in Yahodyn are not just a continuation of its attacks on our state borders,” Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

“This is Putin’s terror “knocking” directly on the doors of the EU and NATO. Russian barbarians are at your gate, dear partners.”

He added: “Act now: throw the full weight of your sanctions at Putin’s aggressive regime. Make Moscow feel the consequences of its terror. Not just half-decisions, but uncompromising, powerful steps. Full trade embargo. Full entry bans. Full sanctions on the military-industrial complex.”

In pictures: Aftermath of Russian strike on Odesa on Sunday

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