Poland Downs Russian Drones: In a first, Poland has claimed to have shot down several Russian armed drones that entered its airspace overnight during Moscow’s massive strike on western Ukraine. The drones entered Poland’s airspace, which Warsaw termed an ‘act of aggression’. The incident has sparked fresh fears of the war spilling beyond Ukraine’s borders. Poland’s defence ministry has confirmed that the operation concluded after shooting down all the objects traced on radars.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he remained in “constant contact” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and announced an emergency meeting of his council of ministers for Wednesday morning. “This was an unprecedented violation of our sovereignty,” Tusk said, as Poland moved swiftly to reassure its citizens.
Radars Track Multiple Objects
According to Poland’s military command, radars tracked more than 10 aerial objects overnight. Drones that posed a potential threat were “neutralised,” while others were closely monitored until the cross-border attack subsided. The military later confirmed the conclusion of its overnight operation.
“The operations of Polish and allied aviation related to violations of Polish airspace have concluded,” the military wrote on X. “Search and localisation of possible impact sites of objects that violated Polish airspace are ongoing.”
Citizens were urged not to touch or approach unidentified debris. “Such elements may pose a threat and contain hazardous materials,” the statement warned.
NATO Jets Scramble, Debris Found
The Polish command thanked NATO’s Air Command and the Netherlands for deploying F-35 fighter jets during the crisis, while confirming that ground-based air defense and radar systems had returned to normal operations.
In Czosnówka, a small village just 40 km from the Belarus border, police reported finding a damaged drone early Wednesday morning. “We have notified the appropriate services. Procedures are ongoing,” Lublin regional police said in a post on X.
A War Edging Closer
The latest incursion came as Russia launched one of its heaviest drone attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks, targeting the country’s west. In Kyiv, explosions lit up the night sky as Ukrainian servicemen fired at incoming drones.
For Poland, a NATO frontline state, the violation underscored the risks of Russia’s war increasingly brushing against the borders of the alliance. While officials stressed that operations had ended safely, the overnight scare has once again placed the region on high alert.
