Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Thursday that the nation would continue its military modernisation efforts following an incident where Russian drones entered Polish airspace.
On 10 September, Poland shot down multiple drones that entered its airspace during a major Russian aerial attack on Ukraine, marking the first time a NATO member has engaged militarily since Russia launched its war against Ukraine.
Polish authorities reported 19 drones intruding into their airspace, with several deemed threats and subsequently neutralised. Moscow has denied responsibility, suggesting the drones originated in Ukraine.
European officials described the incursion as a deliberate provocation, a view shared by numerous defence analysts who stressed that Poland and NATO needed to issue a firm international response.
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UN Security Council emergency session expected
On Thursday, The Associated Press reported that Poland’s Air Navigation Agency had introduced air traffic restrictions in the eastern part of the country at the request of the Polish military for national security reasons. Warsaw also indicated that the UN Security Council would meet in an emergency session over the matter, according to the Financial Times. The meeting has not yet been confirmed, but the daily cited an unnamed source as suggesting it could take place on Friday.
“What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!“ – Donald J. Trump, US President on social media
Incursion will hardly help
The drone incident could further complicate diplomatic efforts, including those proposed by US President Donald Trump, to mediate a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv. While Ukraine has repeatedly expressed openness to peace talks, Russia has continued near-nightly drone and missile strikes, frequently targeting civilian infrastructure and causing significant casualties. Responding to news of the attack, the US President replied only with a brief remark on his social network: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!“
By contrast, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk sized up the Wednesday incursion as “the closest we have been to open conflict since world war two.”
