Poland accuses Moscow of ‘unprecedented’ aggression after downing Russian drones

(NEW YORK and LONDON) — Polish airspace was violated by at least 19 Russian drones overnight, the country’s prime minister said, in a torrent of activity that triggered a response from the NATO country’s air force, which scrambled and downed several of the drones.

“Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said early on Wednesday on social media. “I am in constant communication with the Secretary-General of NATO and our allies.”

Polish and allied aircraft — including Dutch F-35 fighter jets — were airborne overnight to “help ensure safety in Polish skies,” the military said. Those operations ended early on Wednesday, Warsaw said, adding that the search continued for downed drones and potential impact sites.

The country’s military command described the violations as “unprecedented,” saying they amounted to “an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”

Polish authorities did not report any casualties related to the drone incursion.

Tusk said this marked the first time in history that Russian drones had been shot down on NATO territory, which he said “changes the political situation.”

Tusk told parliament on Wednesday that Warsaw had requested the invocation of NATO Article 4. The clause allows a NATO member to convene a meeting of allies to consult on an issue that could threaten its security.

“Today we must say very loudly and clearly to the entire Western world and all our allies — Article 4 is only the beginning of deeper cooperation for the security of our skies and our border, which is NATO’s border, and words alone are by no means enough,” Tusk said.

“This is not just a war for Ukrainians,” he added. “This is a confrontation that Russia has declared against the entire free world.”

Tusk said that at least 19 Russian drones entered the country’s airspace late Tuesday and into early Wednesday, some of which crossed over from Belarus, and at least three were subsequently shot down by Polish and NATO forces.

Poland previously invoked Article 4 on Feb. 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which triggered urgent NATO consultations at the time.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was “consulting closely with Poland,” Allison Hart, a spokesperson for the bloc, said on social media. She confirmed “numerous” drones had entered Poland and said that NATO defenses had been activated.

NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe said in a statement to social media that German Patriot surface-to-air missile systems based in Poland were placed on alert and that an Italian airborne early warning aircraft was deployed. A NATO aerial refueling aircraft was also launched.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday referred journalists’ questions to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

“This is not within our competence, it is the prerogative of the Russian Ministry of Defense,” Peskov told reporters.

Asked to comment on accusations by Europe and NATO that the incident was a Russian provocation, Peskov replied, “The EU and NATO leadership accuse Russia of provocation on a daily basis, most often without even attempting to present any arguments.”

Peskov added that Russia had not received any requests for contact from Poland’s leadership.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as “simply unacceptable.” He in a post to X, “I call on Russia to put an end to this reckless escalation. I reiterate to the Polish people and their government our full solidarity.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in post to X, “Europe is in a fight. A fight for our liberty and our ability to determine our destiny for ourselves.”

“Today, we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s [airspace] by more than 10 Russian Shahed drones,” von der Leyen added. “Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland.”

European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas described the incident as “the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began,” adding that “and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early on Wednesday described the violation as “another escalation step.”

“An extremely dangerous precedent for Europe,” he said in Ukrainian on the messaging app Telegram.

It was not immediately clear whether Russia had intended to send the drones into NATO airspace. Russian and Ukrainian drones have been known to go off course during long-range strikes due to electronic warfare measures employed by the combatants.

The incursions occurred during a major Russian strike on Ukraine, which the air force in Kyiv said consisted of 415 drones and 35 missiles. Of those, 386 drones and 27 missiles were intercepted or suppressed, the air force said.

The Kremlin did not immediately issue a statement but Zelenskyy positioned the violation as anything but an accident — saying it might have been considered one if it had been just one drone that crossed the border.

Zelenskyy called for consequences for Russia, saying Moscow “must feel that the war cannot be expanded and must be ended.”

Military officials in Poland earlier said the country’s airspace was “repeatedly violated by drone-type objects” in the overnight hours amid Russian strikes on targets in Ukraine.

“An operation is underway aimed at identifying and neutralizing the objects,” the Polish military said in one of its initial statements, each of which urged people to stay at home.

The most threatened areas had been Podlaskie, Mazowieckie and Lubelskie, Poland said. Polish security services said they sent an SMS message to cellphones in the area — sending the type of alert that’s become a nightly occurrence in neighboring Ukraine.

Earlier, the Polish military said it had scrambled jets and was taking “preventative” action during the “massive attack” carried out by Russia on facilities in Ukraine.

“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness,” the military said in the earlier statement.

Tusk, the Polish prime minister, convened an extraordinary government meeting early on Wednesday, bringing together the country’s emergency and military officials.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who also serves as foreign affairs minister, met prior to that meeting with Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign affairs minister, according to Poland. Jacek Najder, Poland’s representative to NATO, was also present, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.

“The security of Polish women and men is the greatest priority,” the ministry said prior to the meeting.

Tusk in the emergency cabinet meeting said the there was “no reason to panic,” according to the Chancellery.

“The procedures were implemented correctly, the decision-making process was flawless, and the threat was effectively eliminated thanks to the resolute actions of commanders, soldiers, and our allies,” Tusk said during the meeting, according to his office. “I am deeply grateful.”

The Defense Ministry in Belarus — which is aligned with Russia and has assisted its invasion of Ukraine — said in a statement that its forces also downed drones that went off course “as a result of the impact of the parties’ electronic warfare assets.”

Minsk said it shared information with neighboring Poland and Lithuania regarding the incoming drones. “This allowed the Polish side to respond promptly to the actions of the drones by scrambling their forces on duty,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that Polish forces had also notified Belarusian forces of incoming unidentified aircraft from Ukrainian territory.

A Lithuanian Defense Ministry official told ABC News that there were no violations of Lithuanian airspace overnight.

In Romania — which borders Ukraine to its southwest — the Defense Ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled in response to a “group of aerial drones in the area of ​​the Ukrainian town of Valcov, on the border with Romania.”

No drones entered Romanian airspace, the ministry said in a statement.

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