Warsaw (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Poland is prepared to respond to any attacks or provocations, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated after the country downed Russian drones that entered its airspace during a large-scale Russian attack in western Ukraine.
A huge number of Russian drones violated Poland’s airspace, and those that posed a direct threat were shot down, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. The NATO member called the incursion “an act of aggression” and marked the first time an alliance member has fired shots in the war.
“We are dealing with a large-scale provocation…We are ready to repel such provocations. The situation is serious, and no one doubts that we must prepare for various scenarios,”
Donald Tusk said. According to a NATO spokesperson, NATO chief Mark Rutte is in contact with Polish leaders and the alliance is working closely with Poland.
How did Russian drones violate Polish airspace?
Poland’s military command stated that drones had repeatedly entered Polish airspace during the Russian attack in western Ukraine, but that the operation to counter these incursions has now ended. Radars tracked over 10 objects, and those that posed a threat were neutralised, according to the command, BBC reported.
“Searches and efforts to locate the potential crash sites of these objects are ongoing,”
It was stated that the command expressed gratitude to NATO air command and the Dutch air force’s F-35 fighters for their assistance.
It encouraged people to stay home, highlighting the regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as being at the highest risk, adding:
“This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”
What previous Russian airspace violations have involved Poland?
Since the war began in 2022, multiple incidents have occurred where Russian drones have entered the airspace of countries neighbouring Ukraine, including Poland and Romania. However, they have not yet been shot down.
In March 2025, Poland scrambled jets after a Russian missile briefly passed through Polish airspace on its way to target western Ukraine. This was a precursor incident of airspace violations.
