At least three Russian drones were shot down by Polish and other NATO aircraft in Poland's airspace during overnight attacks aimed at Ukraine, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Tusk stated Poland had recorded 19 drone incursions, with some flights prompting the temporary closure of four airports, including Warsaw's main hub, Chopin. He emphasized, This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two, marking the first instance of Russian drones being downed over NATO territory since the onset of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia's defense ministry claimed there had been no intention to target Polish facilities and noted that the maximum range of the drones does not exceed 700 km (435 miles). A temporary charge d'affaires in Poland demanded proof of the drones' Russian origin, while Belarus attributed the incursion to navigational errors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the event as an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe. In a discussion with BBC Radio, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed that this aggressiveness is part of a broader Russian strategy that extends beyond Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump responded to the situation on social media, questioning Russia's breach of Polish airspace. Polish authorities conducted an emergency response, deploying military aircraft including F-35s and F-16s during the incursion.
Tusk reported that three or four drones were shot down, and authorities confirmed they located 15 drones, mostly in the eastern Lublin region bordering Belarus and Ukraine. While no casualties were reported, Tusk acknowledged that a dangerous line had been crossed, creating a more perilous political landscape.
Poland, as a NATO member, activated Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty which calls for consultations among members. The rapid and unified response of Poland's military, civilians, and political leaders has garnered commendation from NATO officials.
According to experts, the recent drone incursions represent a concerted Russian provocation to test NATO's response capabilities amid an increasingly polarized political environment.
