Poland shoots down Russian drones in airspace
WARSAW: Poland scrambled its air defences and NATO systems to shoot down drones that entered its airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine early Wednesday, marking the first direct engagement of Polish forces since the war began. Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the operations were underway, calling the repeated violations of Polish airspace an “act of aggression” that endangered citizens’ safety.
Poland’s military command said radar tracked more than 10 drones during the overnight assault, some of which were neutralised after crossing the border. Authorities named Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as the most at-risk regions and urged residents to stay home. Searches are ongoing to locate debris at possible crash sites.
The escalation prompted Tusk to call for an emergency meeting of the council of ministers while staying in constant contact with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Warsaw Chopin Airport, the country’s largest, suspended operations as flights were diverted to other Polish cities including Katowice, Wroclaw, and Poznan. The U.S. FAA also confirmed temporary closures at four airports, including Rzeszow–Jasionka, a key hub for military supplies to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s western regions of Lviv and Volyn, bordering Poland, remained under air raid sirens through the night. Kyiv initially confirmed that Russian drones entered Polish territory, threatening the city of Zamosc, but later removed the statement from official channels.
In Washington, lawmakers described the incursions as a dangerous test of NATO’s red lines. Senator Dick Durbin said President Vladimir Putin was “probing NATO’s resolve,” while Republican Congressman Joe Wilson labelled the incident an “act of war,” urging President Donald Trump to impose crippling sanctions on Russia. Trump, who recently hosted Putin for a summit, hinted at a “second phase” of sanctions over Moscow’s continued aggression.
The European Union’s sanctions envoy also visited Washington this week to coordinate with the U.S. on tougher measures, which could mark the first transatlantic sanctions effort since Trump returned to office in January.
Analysts say the incident underscores growing risks for NATO states bordering Ukraine. General Ben Hodges, former U.S. Army commander in Europe, said repeated Russian drone incursions were “deliberate tests” of NATO defences. “We need to be able to respond every time, and more decisively,” he warned.
Poland has remained on high alert since a stray Ukrainian missile hit a southern village in 2022, killing two people. However, Wednesday’s shoot-downs are the first confirmed case of Russian drones being destroyed over NATO territory. Tensions are already heightened as Poland prepares to close its border with Belarus due to Russia-led military exercises under the “Zapad” drills, which have also alarmed Lithuania and Latvia.
With Russia expanding its war effort beyond Ukraine’s borders and NATO forced into direct engagement, the risk of escalation between Moscow and the Western alliance has grown significantly.
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