Why drones over Poland have put Europe on edge

Poland has accused Russia of deliberately violating its airspace overnight, saying multiple drones crossed from Ukraine during a massive Russian aerial attack. Polish forces, with NATO help, shot down several drones and launched a search for debris. The incident, described by Warsaw as an “act of aggression,” marks the most serious breach of European airspace since Russia’s attack of Ukraine began in 2022.

The crisis has triggered urgent NATO consultations under Article 4 — only the eighth time in the alliance’s history — and deepened fears across the Baltic states that Moscow is testing the resolve of NATO’s eastern flank. Leaders from the European Union, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, and Ukraine condemned the attack and warned it represented a dangerous escalation of the war.

Poland said multiple Russian drones entered its airspace during a wave of strikes on Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on social media: “Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down.” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said more than 10 objects crossed into Polish air space. Warsaw suspended flights at Chopin Airport and launched a search for crash sites. Bernard Blaszczuk, mayor of Wyryki, said a house was hit by “either a missile or a drone, we don’t know yet,” but no one was hurt.

Poland called on NATO allies for assistance and invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty for urgent talks. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed the military organisation’s 32 national envoys would discuss the matter at a pre-planned meeting now held under Article 4. Col. Martin O’Donnell said, “This is the first time NATO planes have engaged potential threats in Allied airspace.”

Article 4 allows any NATO member to call urgent consultations when its “territorial integrity, political independence or security” is threatened. It does not automatically trigger collective defence under Article 5 but can lead to a coordinated response. Wednesday’s meeting was the third time Article 4 has been invoked over Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed that Dutch F-35 fighter jets stationed in Poland under NATO “provided support to the Polish air force overnight.” He said, “The violation of Polish airspace last night by Russian drones is unacceptable. It is further proof that the Russian war of aggression poses a threat to European security.” German Patriot defence systems in Poland were also placed on alert, while Italy contributed an airborne early warning plane and a refueler from NATO’s fleet.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged European allies to create a joint air defence system after the drones crossed into Poland. “Ukraine has long proposed to its partners the creation of a joint air defence system,” he said, adding that Russia “deliberately” targeted neighbouring Poland in the overnight attack.

Polish airspace has been violated before — including in August when a Russian drone crashed in a cornfield — but officials say nothing has occurred on this scale. It also coincided with Russia’s largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the start of the war, which for the first time hit a key government building in Kyiv.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported Russia fired 415 strike and decoy drones, 42 cruise missiles and one ballistic missile overnight. At least eight drones crossed Ukraine’s state border in the direction of Poland. Ukrainian officials said drones injured three people and caused widespread damage in western and central Ukraine.

NATO leaders have pledged to defend every kilometre of alliance territory. O’Donnell said NATO “is committed to defending every kilometer of NATO territory, including our airspace.” Poland’s search for drone debris continues, and both Warsaw and Kyiv are pushing for deeper European cooperation on air defences.

- with inputs from AFP