“Aircraft have used weapons against hostile objects,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on social media, adding that Poland was in “constant contact” with NATO command. This statement followed an incursion into Polish airspace by Russian drones and missiles during a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine. The Polish military’s operational command called the airspace violations “unprecedented” and said they posed “a real threat to the safety of our citizens.” Polish forces, along with NATO air defenses, scrambled aircraft and successfully shot down some of the intruding objects.
The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, confirmed that weapons had been used and stated that he had informed the NATO Secretary General about the situation. Poland’s newly elected President, Karol Nawrocki, had warned just a day earlier that Vladimir Putin was prepared to invade other countries after launching the war in Ukraine. In a press conference in Helsinki, he said, “We do not trust Vladimir Putin’s good intentions. We believe that Vladimir Putin is ready to also invade other countries.”
This is not the first time Russian military objects have entered Polish airspace. In August, Warsaw said a Russian military drone had flown into its airspace and exploded in farmland, an incident it called a “provocation.” In 2023, a Russian missile also crossed into Polish airspace to strike Ukraine. However, this is the first time a NATO country has attempted to shoot down such objects.
Following the incident, Poland’s government announced it would hold an “extraordinary” cabinet meeting. The airspace over parts of the country was temporarily closed, including at Warsaw’s main Chopin Airport, causing flight disruptions.
The incursion and Poland’s response are significant, as a cornerstone of the Western military alliance is the principle of collective defense, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Poland, a major supporter of Ukraine, hosts over a million Ukrainian refugees and is a critical transit point for Western humanitarian and military aid to the war-torn country.
