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Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones In Its Airspace Amid Major Attack On Ukraine

By RFE/RL September 10, 2025

Summary

• Poland shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace, calling it "an act of aggression."
• The drones crossed into Poland during Russian strikes near the Ukrainian border; no casualties were reported.
• Poland closed four airports, including Warsaw's main airport, amid heightened tensions with Russia.

Poland said it scrambled fighter jets and shot down a number of Russian drones that crossed into its airspace, calling it "an act of aggression" and a "large-scale provocation" against the NATO and European Union member.

It was the first time a NATO nation has fired shots since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. The incursion raised concerns that the Kremlin is stepping up efforts to test the West's resolve.

"Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a large number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told an emergency government meeting on September 10.

Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X that "more than 10 objects" crossed into Polish airspace and those that constituted a risk to Poland's security were neutralized. He did not specify how many, and the military said it was searching for downed objects.

"This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens," the military's operational command said in a post to X. Tusk said there were no casualties in the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, which came amid a massive attack on Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted 15 regions, firing at least 415 drones and more than 40 missiles. At least one person was killed and three others wounded, he said, repeating his near-daily calls for a stronger Western response to the onslaught.

"Moscow always pushes the boundaries of what is possible, and if it does not encounter a strong reaction, it remains at the new level of escalation," he said.

"Putin's sense of impunity keeps growing," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha warned on X.

While discussing further sanctions pressure on Russia, Kyiv's Western backers are also trying to hammer out plans for a postwar "reassurance force."

But the unprecedented incident comes as peace talks founder, with Russian President Vladimir Putin refusing to meet with Zelenskyy and vowing to achieve his goals by force if necessary as Moscow's troops press to take more territory, particularly in the Donetsk region in the east.

"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," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "The EU stands in full solidarity with Poland. Russia's war is escalating, not ending."

"The incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace during an attack conducted by Russia against Ukraine is simply unacceptable. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. I call on Russia to put an end to this reckless escalation," French President Emmanuel Macron said.

Macron said he would speak with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and added, "We will not compromise on the security of our Allies."

There was no immediate comment from Putin, the Kremlin, or Russia's Defense Ministry.

Poland said it had closed four airports, including the country's main airport in Warsaw. The US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, issued an advisory saying the Rzeszow–Jasionka Airport in the southeast had also been closed. The facility is a hub for passenger and arms transfers to Ukraine.

Most of Ukraine, including the western regions of Volyn and Lviv, which border Poland, was under an air raid alert in the early hours of September 10, according to Ukraine's air force. Russia has frequently fired barrages of hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine, killing and wounding civilians across the country.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/poland-ukraine-russia- airspace-drones-border-tusk/33526405.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.