For the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland announced that it had shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering an alert for the country’s air force as well as NATO forces.
Fighter jets continue to be heard in the sky over Lublin in Eastern Poland. pic.twitter.com/yrY002uMpk
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 10, 2025
According to Poland’s General Staff, the unmanned aircraft were detected flying over the eastern regions of the country and were “neutralised” in a successful operation. Polish and NATO aircraft took part, including Dutch F-35s, while ground-based air defence systems were also activated.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk was present at the operations site and stated via X that a “mission concerning multiple violations of Polish airspace” was underway. For safety reasons, four airports in eastern Poland were temporarily closed.
Poland’s General Staff described the breach as an “act of aggression,” while the government said it was in “constant communication” with the NATO secretary general.
Ukrainian monitoring channels have published a map showing the routes taken by one-way attack drones as well as air and surface-launched cruise missiles fired by Russia during tonight’s attack against Poland and Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/2Z2QKgY82j
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 10, 2025
A meeting between President Karol Nawrocki and the National Security Bureau was also concluded, according to a post by the office on X.
Zakończyła się narada zwołana przez Prezydenta RP @NawrockiKn w @BBN_PL. pic.twitter.com/ZF6Zu5AyAY
— BBN (@BBN_PL) September 10, 2025
Allies react
Sweden, Latvia and Norway expressed full solidarity with Poland. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the violations “unacceptable” and stressed that “Russia threatens the security of all Europe.” Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs underlined that “Russian aggression affects us directly,” while Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described the incident as “deeply worrying.”
Zelensky’s statement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the latest Russian attack as “an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe.”
He warned that Russia “constantly tests the limits of escalation” and that without a strong response, Moscow will continue. Zelensky urged allies to deliver a more immediate and coordinated reaction, stressing that delays in sanctions encourage Russia’s violent attacks. He also emphasised the need for adequate equipment to prevent further expansion of the war.
A critical test for Poland
Analysts note that the development is a “stress test” for Warsaw, which has significantly strengthened its armed forces since the invasion of Ukraine but had until now avoided direct engagement. The downing of the drones marks a change in stance, at a time when Polish society remains on high alert for the potential spillover of Russian threats onto its territory.
The Russian drones Poland incident underscores growing NATO–Russia tensions and the fragile security balance in Eastern Europe.
Also read: Putin warns that Western troops in Ukraine are legitimate targets
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