Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones, Calls Airspace Violations “Act of Aggression”

Poland confirmed on Wednesday that its forces had shot down drones violating its airspace during a large-scale Russian attack on western Ukraine, describing the incursions as “an act of aggression.”

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was in “constant contact” with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and has convened an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT).

Poland’s military command reported that drones repeatedly crossed into Polish territory overnight during Russia’s strikes across the border. Radar tracked more than 10 objects, and those deemed a threat were “neutralised.”

“Some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Searches and efforts to locate potential crash sites are ongoing,” the command said in a statement, urging residents in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin to remain indoors. “This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”

Russia’s Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NATO has yet to issue a statement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been briefed, according to CNN, though the State Department has not commented.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, drones have occasionally strayed into the airspace of NATO members bordering Ukraine, including Poland and Romania. Until now, these incidents had stopped short of being met with military action, with officials citing the risks of escalation.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of deliberately testing the West’s resolve. “The longer he faces no strength in response, the more aggressive he gets,” Sybiha said on X. “A weak response now will provoke Russia even more—and then Russian missiles and drones will fly even further into Europe.”

Travel Disruptions
Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, the country’s busiest, briefly closed its airspace, leading to delays throughout the day. Western Ukrainian regions bordering Poland, including Volyn and Lviv, remained under air raid alerts for much of the night.

Earlier, Ukraine’s air force said Russian drones posed a threat to the Polish city of Zamosc but later removed that claim from Telegram.

U.S. and European Reactions
In Washington, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin warned that repeated drone incursions were a sign that President Vladimir Putin was “testing our resolve to protect Poland and the Baltic nations.” Republican Congressman Joe Wilson called the incident an “act of war,” urging President Donald Trump to impose crippling sanctions to “bankrupt the Russian war machine.”

Trump, who hosted Putin for a summit in August, signaled over the weekend that he was prepared to escalate sanctions after months of stalled negotiations over a peace deal. The European Union’s top sanctions official met U.S. counterparts in Washington this week to coordinate potential measures—likely the first joint transatlantic sanctions package since Trump returned to office in January.

Regional Tensions
Poland has been on heightened alert since a stray Ukrainian missile killed two people in a southern village in 2022. The government announced that it will close its border with Belarus from Thursday midnight due to Russia-led military exercises there.

The large-scale “Zapad” drills, conducted jointly by Russia and Belarus, have alarmed NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Lithuania said it would reinforce defences along its borders with Belarus and Russia in response.

---