Poland has accused Russia of violating its airspace after 19 drones entered from Belarus during overnight strikes on Ukraine, prompting NATO allies to scramble fighter jets in support. It is the first such incident since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the drone incursions as “a large-scale provocation” and told parliament, “I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed. This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two.”
Four of the drones were shot down, according to Polish officials, who said the military initially urged residents in three eastern regions to stay indoors. Airports in Warsaw and Rzeszów briefly closed before reopening later on Wednesday.
Poland activated Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, requesting urgent consultations with allies. A NATO official confirmed it was only the eighth such invocation since the alliance was formed in 1949. U.S. European Command chief General Alexus Grynkewich said NATO assets “responded quickly and decisively,” while the Dutch air force scrambled F-35 jets to assist.
Russia denied responsibility, calling the accusations “groundless.” Moscow’s envoy in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, told state media there was “no evidence” the drones were Russian and insisted, “Russia is absolutely not interested in any escalation with Poland.” Belarus claimed the drones had “lost their way” and said it also shot some down.
European leaders condemned the incursion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said evidence suggested the strike “was no accident.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described it as the “most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began” and added, “Indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.”
The incident drew swift pledges of support from Sweden, Norway, and NATO’s Baltic members. Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, warned Moscow was “deliberately expanding its aggression,” while Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, called it “a stark reminder that Russia is not just a threat to Ukraine, but to all of Europe and NATO.”
Analysts suggested the move was a calculated test. “Putin is clearly testing NATO,” said Michael Bociurkiw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “He wants to see how far he can push, and whether he can push further. Poland is now much more on the front line than they were 24 hours ago.”
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, dismissed Western reactions, saying EU and NATO leaders “accuse Russia of provocations on a daily basis.”
Poland, a key transit hub for Western military aid to Ukraine, has been on heightened alert since the start of the war. In 2022, a stray Ukrainian missile killed two people in a Polish village, while Russian missiles have previously brushed Polish airspace. Wednesday’s incident, however, marked the most direct confrontation yet.
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