Poland calls NATO meeting after downing Russian drones

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says there were at least 19 violations of Polish airspace by suspected Russian drones overnight.

He told the Polish parliament that NATO's Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) had been put on alert after reports of a large Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine late Tuesday. The first airspace breach occurred around 11:30 p.m. local time (2130 GMT/UTC) and continued until about 6:30 a.m.

Tusk confirmed three drones were shot down and said a fourth may also have been hit. He stressed the incident was unprecedented: "This is the first time in this war that they did not come from Ukraine due to errors or minor Russian provocations. For the first time, a significant portion of the drones came directly from Belarus." 

Belarus, a close ally of Moscow, has supported Russia's war against Ukraine and has stepped up its military posturing against NATO.

Acting Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Wednesday that the Netherlands' air force supported Poland in downing Russian drones that violated its airspace overnight.

"It is good that Dutch F-35 fighter jets were able to provide support," Schoof wrote on X. "The Netherlands stands shoulder to shoulder with our NATO ally Poland."

He called the intrusion "further evidence that Russia's aggressive war poses a threat to European security," adding he had spoken with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The Dutch defense ministry had announced earlier this year that F-35 jets would be stationed in Poland from September 1 for a three-month air patrol mission.

Poland has summoned Russia's top diplomat in Warsaw after saying it had downed several Russian drones that crossed into its airspace overnight.

Andrei Ordash, Moscow's charge d'affaires, told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti he had been called to the Polish Foreign Ministry for a noon meeting. He said Warsaw had not yet presented evidence that the drones came from Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a common air defense system with European allies, accusing Russia of "deliberately targeting" Poland by sending drones through its airspace overnight.

"Ukraine has long proposed to its partners the creation of a joint air defence system to ensure the guaranteed downing of 'Shaheds,' other drones, and missiles through the combined strength of our combat aviation and air defences," Zelenskyy said on social media.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says there were 19 intrusions into Polish airspace overnight, many of them drones entering from Belarus.

"The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were shot down changes the political situation. Therefore, allied consultations took the form of a formal request to activate Article 4 of the NATO Treaty," Tusk said.

He told parliament that three drones were confirmed shot down and a fourth likely destroyed.

Article 4 of the NATO treaty covers the case when a member state feels threatened by another country or a terrorist organization. The  member states then start formal consultations at the request of the threatened member.

The talks look at whether a threat exists and how to counter it, with decisions arrived at unanimously. Article 4 does not, however, mean that there will be direct pressure to act.

Russia's ally Belarus said its air defense forces shot down several drones that strayed into its airspace overnight amid strikes between Russia and Ukraine.

Chief of the General Staff Pavel Muraveiko said the drones lost their course due to electronic jamming during the exchange.

"Some of the lost drones were destroyed by our country's Air Defense Forces over the territory of the republic," he said in a statement issued in English.

Muraveiko did not specify whether the drones originated from Russia or Ukraine. He added that Poland and Lithuania were notified of the drones' approach.

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the entry of Russian drones into Polish airspace during strikes on Ukraine, calling it "simply unacceptable."

"We will not compromise on the safety of our allies," Macron wrote on X Wednesday.

"I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. I call on Russia to put an end to this headlong rush. I reiterate to the Polish people and its government our full solidarity," he said.

"I will soon meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. We will not compromise on the security of the Allies."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU stands "in full solidarity with Poland" after Russian drones violated its airspace overnight.

"Just today, we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe's airspace by more than 10 Russian Shahid drones," Von der Leyen told EU lawmakers. 

In her state of the union speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, she announced a summit to coordinate international efforts to secure the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. "Every abducted child must be returned," she said.

Von der Leyen also outlined new initiatives, including a "Qualitative Military Edge" program to boost investment in Ukraine's defense industry and an "Eastern Flank Watch" program to enhance real-time surveillance for EU countries bordering Russia.

Von der Leyen said Russia must pay reparations for its invasion but stressed the EU will not seize frozen Russian assets. Instead, she said Ukraine will repay EU loans only after Moscow covers reparations.

NATO's North Atlantic Council is set to discuss the apparent violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones overnight at its regular session on Wednesday.

"Numerous drones entered Polish airspace overnight and were met with Polish and NATO air defenses," confirmed NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart, adding that the alliance's secretary general, Mark Rutte, was in touch with the Polish government.

"I have informed the NATO secretary-general about the current situation and the actions we have taken against the objects that violated our airspace," confirmed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "We maintain constant contact."

Meanwhile, Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, said he would soon be chairing a national security briefing having been briefed by the Polish Armed Forces.

"The security of our country is our top priority and requires close cooperation," he wrote on social media.

As a reminder: in Poland, the president is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president nominates the prime minister who, as the leader of the party with the most seats in parliament, is the head of the government.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, accused Russia of intentionally violating Polish airspace after Warsaw deployed fighter jets and air defense assets to shoot down drones overnight.

"Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental," Kallas wrote on social media.

"The EU stands in full solidarity with Poland," she added. "Russia's war is escalating, not ending. We must raise the cost on Moscow, strengthen support for Ukraine, and invest in Europe's defense."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said the situation over his country's skies "seems to be under control now."

Tusk said there was no need for restrictions that would make life difficult for Polish citizens and that there was no need to panic.

He said that Poland was ready to react to attacks and provocations and that consultations with allies were ongoing.

Tusk also said there had been no casualties as a result of the incursion.

Tusk also wrote on X that "a huge number" of Russian drones violated Polish airspace. 

"Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down. I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies," he wrote. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least eight drones targeted Poland during Russia's latest wave of overnight attacks, which involved around 415 drones and more than 40 missiles.

Zelenskyy said this represented the crossing of a threshold.

"Today there was another step of escalation — Russian-Iranian 'shaheds' operated in the airspace of Poland, in NATO airspace. It was not just one 'shahed' that could be called an accident, but at least eight strike drones aimed toward Poland," Zelensky wrote on X.

Zelenskyy described it as "an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe."

"Whether there will be further steps depends entirely on the coordination and strength of the response. The Russians must feel the consequences. Russia must feel that the war cannot be expanded and will have to be ended."

Airspace over Warsaw's Chopin airport has reopened after being closed earlier due to Russian drones entering Polish territory during strikes on Ukraine, the airport says.

Officials warned that disruptions and delays could continue throughout the day despite the resumption of flights.

The airport is Poland's largest and busiest airport, in the central-eastern part of the country.

Meanwhile, broadcaster TVN24 reported that the capital's nearby Modlin airport and Rzeszow, in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, had also had flights restored.

However, restrictions remain in place at Lublin airport in the eastern part of the country.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Wednesday that Russian drones crossing into Poland during strikes on Ukraine highlight President Vladimir Putin's impunity and the expansion of the war.

"Putin just keeps escalating, expanding his war, and testing the West," Sybiha wrote on X.

"The longer he faces no strength in response, the more aggressive he gets."

"A weak response now will provoke Russia even more — and then Russian missiles and drones will fly even further into Europe," he wrote 

He said the incident showed the need for NATO partners to use their air defense systems to intercept drones and missiles in Ukrainian airspace, including those nearing alliance borders. 

Polish police say they found a damaged drone in the eatern Polish village of Czosnowka after violations of Polish airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine.

"At 5:40 a.m. in the village of Czosnowka, police officers confirmed the discovery of a damaged drone," the police wrote on X.

Provincial police in the Lublin area declared an alarm for all police officers in the local garrison because of the alleged airspace violation.