Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones Violating Its Airspace, Calls It ‘Act of Aggression’
Warsaw
Poland on Wednesday said several Russian drones entered its airspace overnight during Moscow’s latest attack on Ukraine, marking the first such violation of a NATO member’s skies since the war began in 2022. The Polish military, with support from NATO allies, shot down four drones and called the incident an “act of aggression.”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the episode as a “large-scale provocation,” telling parliament that 19 incursions were recorded, some launched from Belarus. “A line has been crossed. This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” he said.
NATO confirmed its air assets, including Dutch F-35s, were scrambled. Tusk said he had triggered Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty, which mandates urgent consultations. The European Union condemned the violation as “intentional” and the “most serious” since the war began.
Russia dismissed the claims as “groundless” and denied any escalation with Poland, while Belarus said the drones had strayed off course.
The incursion forced temporary airspace closures at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport and Rzeszów–Jasionka, a key hub for NATO operations in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said evidence indicated the drones’ path “was no accident,” warning that the strike set a “dangerous precedent for Europe.”
Analysts said the move showed Russian President Vladimir Putin testing NATO’s resolve. “Poland is now more on the front line than it was 24 hours ago,” noted Michael Bociurkiw of the Atlantic Council.