During overnight attacks on Ukraine, at least three Russian drones were intercepted and downed within Poland’s airspace by Polish and allied NATO aircraft, according to the Polish Prime Minister.
Donald Tusk stated that Polish authorities recorded 19 drone incursions, some penetrating deeply enough to necessitate the temporary closure of four airports, including Warsaw’s Chopin, a major air hub.
“This situation represents the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” Tusk remarked. This marks the first instance of Russian drones being downed over NATO territory since the commencement of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence has asserted that there were “no plans” to target facilities located on Polish soil.
In a statement, the ministry noted, “The maximum range of the Russian drones that allegedly crossed into Poland does not exceed 700km (435 miles),” and added its readiness to engage in consultations with the Polish Ministry of Defence.
The temporary chargé d’affaires of Russia in Poland stated that Warsaw has not provided substantiating evidence indicating the Russian origin of the drones.
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has suggested that the drone incursions into Polish airspace were accidental, attributing them to the jamming of their navigation systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the recent attack establishes “an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe,” while Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “continues to escalate, expands the war”.
US President Donald Trump commented on the situation via social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, stating, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”
Addressing Polish lawmakers on Wednesday, Prime Minister Tusk confirmed that three – possibly four – drones were shot down overnight.
He stated that Polish authorities have no information to suggest that anyone was injured or killed “as a result of the Russian action”.
“The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were shot down changes the political situation.”
“I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed, and it’s incomparably more dangerous than before.”
Interior Ministry spokeswoman Karolina Gałecka reported on Wednesday evening that authorities have located 15 drones. The majority were found in the eastern Lublin region, bordering Belarus and Ukraine, while five were discovered in central, western, and southern Poland, considerably further from the borders.
Prime Minister Tusk also mentioned that he has requested the invocation of Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which initiates urgent consultations within the 32-member alliance.
Poland is a member state of NATO, a collective defense alliance binding the US and numerous European nations.
Both Tusk and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said they were in “regular contact” with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, who praised a “very successful reaction” by the alliance.
The Polish Defence Ministry informed the BBC that the drones, “which could have posed a threat, were shot down pre-emptively.”
“Polish and Nato aircraft, including F-35, F-16, and MI-24, MI-17, and Black Hawk helicopters, were dispatched to the intended area of operation. Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were also placed on maximum alert.”
Poland’s military also expressed gratitude to NATO’s Air Command and the Netherlands for deploying F-35 fighter jets.
The Russian drones that entered Poland were part of a larger aerial assault on Ukraine, during which Kyiv reported that more than 400 drones and 42 missiles were launched.
Poland has recorded individual aerial incursions on several occasions since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including an incident that resulted in the deaths of two Polish farmers near the Ukrainian border in November 2022.
However, Justyna Gotkowska, Deputy Director of the Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies, told the BBC that the latest incident is “because of the scale, several drones armed and unarmed.”
She described the drones as a “Russian provocation” designed to test Poland’s ability to react “in a very polarised political situation” and exploit existing divisions.
However, she added that “the reaction on the Polish side was united, civil, military and political, Polish-Nato co-ordination.”
Miroslaw Kaznowski, Deputy Mayor of Milanówek, a town outside Warsaw, expressed satisfaction with the authorities’ response, but emphasized the urgent need for smaller towns like his to bolster their self-defense capabilities.
“We need to be prepared. This has all now gone higher on the agenda,” he told the BBC, adding that Milanówek is currently constructing a multi-functional fire station to be utilized for crisis management.
Additional reporting by Thomas Mackintosh
How Russia’s gradual gains in the face of fierce Ukrainian opposition have affected the front line in recent months.
In June, member states agreed to boost defence spending and reconfirmed Nato’s mutual security guarantee.
The US President wants to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine.
The talks between India and EU come as Trump urges EU to impose 100% tariffs on India and China for buying Russian oil.
A new law says men under the age of 23 can now leave the country. But why has Ukraine brought it in?