What to know about the downed Russian drones that entered NATO airspace

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – The downing of Russian drones over Poland, the first direct encounter between NATO and Moscow since the war in Ukraine began, jolted leaders across Europe on Wednesday and raised urgent questions about how prepared the alliance is against growing Russian aggression.

Poland’s armed forces, with the help of the nation’s allies, shot down multiple Russian drones that crossed its airspace overnight, including some launched from Belarus, Polish authorities said. While there had been a few minor violations of the airspace above Poland — part of NATO territory — since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in 2022, the latest incursions were the most serious.

The swarm of drones damaged at least one home in eastern Poland and prompted emergency consultations under the alliance’s Article 4.

“There is no doubt that from Poland’s point of view, this provocation is incomparably more dangerous than all previous ones,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament. “This situation brings us all closer to open conflict, closer than ever since World War II.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its overnight strikes were directed at Ukraine’s military-industrial sites in the country’s Western regions, with no planned targets on Polish territory.

Belarus, a close Russian ally that borders both Poland and Ukraine, said it tracked drones that had “lost their course” because of jamming.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry followed up by accusing Warsaw of attempting to escalate tensions between Moscow and Europe linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Here is what to know.

The overnight incursion stretched across seven hours, beginning around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday and ending just after dawn, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Drone parts were detected at nine locations deep inside Poland, including one that ripped the roof off a house in the Lublin region. No casualties were reported.

For the first time in the conflict, several of the drones appeared to come directly from Belarus, Tusk said. The drones forced the temporary closure of parts of Poland’s airspace and suspended flights at Warsaw’s international airport.

The drone incursion and NATO’s response raised fears that the war in Ukraine could spill over – a fear that has been growing in Europe as Russia escalates its attacks on Ukraine and peace efforts go nowhere.

NATO air defenses supported Poland in what alliance spokesman Col. Martin O’Donnell called “the first time NATO planes have engaged potential threats in Allied airspace.”

Poland’s military called it an “act of aggression” while Tusk denounced the incursion as a large-scale provocation.

“I want to stress very strongly – today there is no reason to claim that we are at war,” he said. “But there is no doubt that this provocation crosses previous boundaries.”

Poland’s allies came to its aid during the night. Tusk said that the Polish air force was deployed in the skies with the help of Dutch F-35 fighter jets, while allied radar systems helped Polish officials track the positions of the drones.

The Polish Defense Ministry said that altogether, the allied efforts included F-35 and F-16 fighter jets and Black Hawk helicopters as well as Soviet designed MI-24 and MI-17 helicopters.

“Our system was truly overwhelmed this night,” said Lt. Col. Jacek Goryszewski, spokesman for the Polish armed force’s Operational Command, at a press conference. He confirmed that Poland exchanged information through the night with Ukrainian and Belarusian officials.

The incident drew swift condemnation across Europe, and many European leaders said they believed it was a deliberate act by Russia.

“There are definitely no grounds to suspect that this was a course correction mistake or the like,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told parliament. “These drones were very clearly put on this course deliberately.”

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Moscow to halt what he described as reckless escalation, while Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the attack was a test of NATO’s defenses.

From Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the violation an “extremely dangerous precedent,” pressing allies to respond decisively. NATO reiterated its commitment to defending every inch of its territory.

Dick Schoof, the Dutch prime minister, said the incursion was “unacceptable” and that he was glad Dutch F-35s could provide support. “It is further proof that Russia’s war of aggression poses a threat to the security of Europe,” he said.

British Defense Minister John Healey said he asked the U.K. military to look at options to boost NATO air defenses over Poland.

“Whatever the intent behind yesterday’s attacks on Poland, they were reckless,” Healey said. “They were dangerous. They were an attack on NATO airspace and on NATO sovereignty.”

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Gera reported from Milan.