Poland says Russian drones crossed into its airspace, prompting NATO scramble
Poland said NATO aircraft were deployed after Russian drones entered Polish airspace during overnight strikes on Ukraine, marking one of the most serious military incidents on the alliance’s eastern flank since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the country recorded 19 incursions and that at least three drones were shot down over Polish territory.
Tusk said the drones flew far enough inland to force the temporary closure of four airports, including Warsaw’s Chopin airport. He told lawmakers the country had moved closer to open conflict than at any point since the Second World War, while also stressing that Poland was not yet on the brink of war. The government said the drones were pre-emptively shot down because they posed a threat.
The incident immediately triggered a broader NATO response. Polish officials said aircraft from Poland and the alliance were dispatched, including F-35 and F-16 fighters, along with helicopters and ground-based air defences placed on maximum alert. Poland also thanked NATO Air Command and the Netherlands for sending F-35s. NATO secretary general Mark Rutte praised what he called a very successful reaction.
The scale of the intrusion set it apart from earlier crossings into Polish airspace. Interior ministry spokeswoman Karolina Gałecka said authorities had found 15 drones by Wednesday evening, with most located in the eastern Lublin region but several discovered far from the border in central, western and southern Poland. That geography heightened concern that the drones were not simply stray fragments from fighting in Ukraine.
Russia rejected the allegation that it had deliberately targeted Poland. Its defence ministry said there had been no plans to strike Polish facilities and claimed the drones could not have had the range implied by Warsaw. Moscow’s temporary charge d’affaires in Poland also said there was no evidence the drones were Russian. Belarus suggested the drones had entered Polish airspace accidentally after their navigation systems were jammed.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, called the incursion an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe. The episode also unfolded during a major Russian air assault on Ukraine, which Kyiv said involved more than 400 drones and 42 missiles. That wider barrage underlines how easily the war has begun to spill across borders, even if Moscow denies intent.
For Poland, the practical challenge now is to account for what crossed the frontier, explain how far the drones travelled, and assess whether the incursion was a test, a provocation, or an operational error with strategic consequences. The political effect may be more immediate than any military damage: the episode has forced NATO to demonstrate readiness, while Polish officials push for consultations under Article 4 of the treaty.
