WARSAW, Poland — Poland announced Wednesday that its air force downed multiple Russian drones that crossed into its territory overnight amid Moscow’s ongoing strikes on Ukraine.
Officials said a total of 19 drones entered Polish skies between late Tuesday and early Wednesday. At least eight were destroyed by F-16 jets with assistance from NATO allies. Debris was located in several communities, including Wyryki-Kolonia, where one drone struck a house. Authorities confirmed no injuries.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the violation as an act of aggression and requested NATO consultations under Article 4. During the interceptions, flights were suspended at major airports including Warsaw Chopin and Rzeszów-Jasionka.
NATO described the breach as without precedent, marking the first time the alliance has directly engaged Russian equipment in European airspace since the war began. Moscow dismissed accusations of deliberate targeting, attributing the incident to navigational errors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the episode represented a dangerous escalation and called for strong international measures. European leaders also denounced the incursion, with some pressing for additional sanctions on Russia.
Recovery operations and analysis of the wreckage are continuing. Poland has reinforced air defenses and remains on heightened alert to guard against further incidents.
