Polish Air Force fighter jets shot down Russian drones at dawn, marking the first time a NATO member state has been involved with Russian unmanned aircraft since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.
The Polish General Staff's operations command speaks in a statement of "an act of aggression that poses a real threat to the security of our citizens."
Describing the “defensive procedures” that were activated, the Polish staff reported that “Polish and allied assets tracked dozens of objects with radar and, taking into account those that could pose a threat, the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces decided to neutralize them. Some of the unmanned aerial vehicles that invaded our airspace were shot down. Efforts are being made to identify and find the possible impact points of these objects.
For now, Russia has not commented on the incident, with the BBC recalling that Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied any intention of his country to take military action against NATO countries.
"Aircraft used weapons against enemy objects that violated Polish airspace. We are in constant communication with NATO command," Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosciniak-Kamys told X.
"An operation related to multiple violations of Polish airspace is underway. The military has used weapons against the targets. I am in constant contact with the President and the Minister of Defense. I received a direct report from the operational commander," wrote Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Following reports of Russian drones, four airports in Poland, including the largest in Warsaw, were closed. Two airports in the capital – the large Chopin Airport and Warsaw Modlin Airport – suspended operations. Also closed were Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport – the airport closest to Ukraine – and Lublin Airport, according to a statement posted on the US Federal Aviation Administration website.
For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CNN reporter Samantha Waldenberg that he is aware of information regarding violations of Polish airspace by Russian military drones, Caitlan Collins, a political reporter for the same television network, reported via X.
Source: protothema.gr
