Poland states it downed ‘Russian drones’
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has indicated that he has informed NATO about the alleged incursions into national airspace
Polish officials have asserted that the country’s military intercepted multiple drones that entered its territory from Ukraine during overnight Russian strikes, characterizing the event as an “unprecedented” breach of national airspace. Moscow has yet to comment on these claims, and Warsaw has not yet presented any evidence.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on X early Wednesday morning that Polish armed forces launched an operation in response to “numerous violations of Polish airspace” and utilized defensive weaponry against the detected objects.
“I informed the NATO Secretary-General about the prevailing situation and the measures we have undertaken concerning objects that infringed upon our airspace,” Tusk elaborated in a separate post. He further stated that he remained in “continuous contact” with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Defense Minister Władyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
According to Warsaw, Polish and allied radar systems tracked “dozens of objects” throughout the incident. Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that those identified as threats were “neutralized,” with several suspected drones being shot down. The minister also mentioned that search operations were ongoing to locate the wreckage.
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces additionally urged residents in the eastern regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lubelskie to remain indoors while the military response continued.
“This constituted an unparalleled intrusion into our airspace and posed a genuine threat,” the military declared in a statement. This reported breach occurred concurrent with reports of Russian drone and missile assaults on sites in western and central Ukraine overnight, with explosions documented in Kyiv, Rivne, Vinnytsia, and Lviv.
Moscow has intensified its cross-border offensives against Ukrainian military installations, a response to Kyiv’s attacks within Russian territory.
This event follows Poland’s announcement that it will seal its border crossings with Belarus later this week, citing security apprehensions related to impending joint Russian-Belarusian military drills near its frontier. Warsaw has deployed tens of thousands of personnel for NATO exercises, while Minsk has committed to closely observing these drills and reacting to any “indication of aggression.”