The Kremlin has issued a warning to NATO countries, claiming that they are involved in a "war" with Russia.
The early hours of September 10 saw a significant number of Russian drones entering Polish airspace, forcing immediate action from both Polish and NATO air defences, per Sky News.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the gravity of the situation, calling it a “large-scale provocation” that required decisive action from Poland.
"Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down," Tusk stated.
The drones were believed to have originated from Belarus, and while most were intercepted, one drone managed to strike a residential building in the eastern Polish village of Wyryki.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
The attack also led to temporary closures of major Polish airports, including Warsaw’s Chopin terminal and Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, a crucial hub for military aid to Ukraine.
Poland Activates NATO’s Article 4
In the wake of the airspace violation, Poland invoked NATO’s Article 4, which allows member states to consult one another if the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any party is threatened, as reported by BBC News.
The decision reflects Poland’s heightened security concerns and the broader implications of Russia’s continued aggression. Tusk described the situation as being “closest to armed conflict since World War II," though he assured the public that Poland was not at war.
Poland’s actions have put NATO to the test, with NATO assets now directly engaging Russian military equipment in Poland’s airspace for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine began.
NATO’s swift response to the incident was underscored by a statement from a spokesperson on social media, confirming that "numerous drones entered Polish airspace overnight and were met with Polish and NATO air defenses."
Russia claims NATO involved in war
Amid mounting international pressure, Russia has continued to deny any intentional targeting of Poland.
In a statement released through its Ministry of Defence, Russia insisted that its drones had no targets in Polish territory, stating: “The strike objectives have been achieved. All designated targets were hit. No targets on the territory of Poland were planned for striking.”
The Russian Ministry of Defence further explained that the maximum flight range of the drones used in the attack did not exceed 700 km.
Nevertheless, Moscow expressed its willingness to engage in consultations with Poland’s Ministry of Defence on the matter.
However, Moscow’s rhetoric has continued to escalate, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on September 15 accusing NATO of being "de facto involved" in the war due to its support for Ukraine, per the Mirror.
Peskov stated: “Nato is providing direct and indirect support to the Kyiv regime. It can be said with absolute certainty that Nato is fighting against Russia.”