Poland confirmed that several Russian drones entered its airspace during an overnight assault on Ukraine, marking the first such incident since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began. With the help of NATO allies, Poland said the drones were successfully shot down, escalating tensions in a region already on edge.
European leaders swiftly condemned the incursion, viewing it as another sign of aggression from the Kremlin. Russia dismissed the claims as “groundless” and insisted it had no intention of targeting Poland. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the strikes were aimed at Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex” in a “large-scale strike,” while emphasizing that “there were no targets envisioned for destruction on the Polish territory.” The ministry also said it was “ready to hold consultations with the Polish Ministry of Defense on this matter.”
Poland Calls the Incident a Deliberate Attack
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski declared that the violation was no accident, calling it an unprecedented assault on NATO and the European Union. “In this case there were 19 breaches, and it simply defies imagination that it could be accidental,” Sikorski told reporters. He also urged European leaders to create a “drone wall” to counter emerging threats, stressing that mass drone use was “a threat not only to Poland, this new technology of the mass use of drones is a threat to all of the EU and nature and we need to face it together.”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the event as a “large-scale provocation,” confirming that four of the 19 drones were shot down. He noted that many of the drones originated from Belarus, which has acted as a staging ground for Russian attacks on Ukraine. Addressing parliament, Tusk warned, “I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed. This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”
Belarus countered the claims by suggesting the drones had “lost their way” and stated that some had also been shot down within its own territory. Meanwhile, Poland’s military operational command referred to the drones as an “act of aggression,” initially urging residents to stay indoors. Three eastern regions were identified as most at risk, but thanks were later extended to NATO’s air command and the Dutch air force, which scrambled F-35 fighter jets during the crisis.
NATO Response and Escalation Concerns
In response, Tusk activated Article 4 of NATO’s treaty, which allows member states to request consultations. This is the eighth time Article 4 has been invoked since NATO’s founding in 1949. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte condemned the breach as “reckless behavior,” regardless of whether it was intentional. A NATO official confirmed that Poland’s request was being honored, and U.S. European Command chief Alexus Grynkewich stated that NATO assets “responded quickly and decisively to the situation.”
Matthew Whittaker, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, reinforced the alliance’s commitment by declaring on X, “We stand by our NATO Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, writing, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
The incident forced Poland to temporarily close airspace over at least three airports, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Debris from the drones was discovered in several cities, with Polish authorities reporting the recovery of seven drones and one fragment from “a projectile of unknown origin.” No deaths or injuries were reported.
