Poland has formally requested the activation of Article 4 of the NATO Treaty after reporting 19 drone incursions into its airspace overnight, many of which crossed from Belarus. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said four of the drones were shot down, the last at 6:45 a.m. local time.
“The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were shot down changes the political situation,” Tusk said, confirming that allied consultations would now take place under NATO procedures. He added that Poland needed “more than expressions of solidarity” from its partners.
Tusk stressed that Poland is not at war but described the current environment as the most dangerous since 1945. Article 4 requires NATO members to consult whenever they believe their security or territorial integrity is under threat.
Russia rejected Warsaw’s claims. Andrey Ordash, Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Poland, said no evidence had been presented proving Russian involvement and called the accusations “groundless.” He confirmed he had been summoned to the Polish Foreign Ministry.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had provided Poland with information on drone movements overnight, adding that several drones had transited Belarus before entering Polish territory. Updated Ukrainian assessments suggested as many as two dozen drones may have crossed into Poland.
Polish daily Rzeczpospolita reported 23 incursions and argued the scale made it unlikely the incident was accidental, describing it instead as a deliberate Russian operation to test Poland’s defenses. The outlet also criticized delays in the development of national counter-drone systems, including the halted SkyCTRL program.
In response to the incident, Poland scrambled fighter jets in coordination with NATO allies and temporarily closed four airports, including Warsaw and Rzeszów. Local reports said one drone struck a house near the Belarusian border, damaging the roof but causing no injuries.
The episode coincided with one of Russia’s largest aerial barrages in months, striking 15 Ukrainian regions. Kyiv warned Moscow was “testing the West” and said drones could threaten targets further inside Europe.
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Post Image – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pictured in 2023 (Post Image Credit: Website of the Republic of Poland)
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