Poland intercepted Russian suicide drones in a striking escalation after the unmanned devices "repeatedly entered" its airspace amid attacks on Ukraine. On Wednesday morning, the country had to deploy its air defense systems to destroy the drones, marking Poland's first such engagement since the start of the war.
According to reports, around ten Shahed-2 drones crossed into Polish territory, with at least four successfully downed. Around 8.6 million people in Poland were told to stay indoors as the Polish Air Force carried out an unprecedented operation to fend off the "drone invasion." Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the drones "could have posed a threat," adding, "The operation is ongoing."
Poland Defends Itself
He said he was in constant contact with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, while Finnish MP Jaron Limnell noted, "When NATO airspace is violated, the entire alliance is involved. This is not about an individual incident but an action that tests NATO's response threshold."
The situation also prompted NATO fighters to scramble in Slovakia and Romania due to threats from Vladimir Putin, with a US F-35 among the jets participating in the mission.
Russia has remained silent about the attack so far.
One report suggested that Polish police found the wreckage of a Russian attack drone near the village of Czosnówka in eastern Poland, about 15 miles from the Belarus border. Authorities warned Poles not to approach, touch, or move any downed drones or fragments.
Wednesday's military clash between Poland and Russia marks the first of its kind since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the incident is being seen as a significant escalation by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Poland's army command first confirmed in the early morning hours that its airspace had been breached by "drone-type objects" during Russia's latest cross-border assault on Ukraine.
"An operation is underway aimed at identifying and neutralizing these objects... weapons have been used, and service personnel are carrying out actions to locate the downed objects," the military said in a statement.
Officials stressed that the operation was still ongoing and urged residents to remain indoors, pointing to the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions as being most at risk.
"The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces is monitoring the situation, and subordinate forces and units remain on full readiness for immediate response," the statement added.
Poland on High Alert
A follow-up announcement underscored the seriousness of the incident: "As a result of attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory, there was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects. This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens. On the order of the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, defensive procedures were immediately activated. Polish and allied assets radar-tracked several objects, and the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces made decisions to neutralize those that could pose a threat.
"Some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Efforts are underway to search for and locate the possible crash sites of these objects.
"The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation, and Polish and allied forces and assets remain fully prepared for further actions."
At least one US F-35 fighter jet joined the NATO mission in the skies, supported by a refueling aircraft from the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, as Poland's operation was unfolding, Russia reportedly launched a massive new wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
