Drones Shot Down in Polish Airspace: What We Know

Warsaw stated on Sept. 10 that the Polish military had shot down “drone-type objects” that had entered the country’s airspace during Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine, which the Polish military described as an act of aggression.

Polish partners in the West have said that the incursion into NATO territory was intentional, while Belarus, an ally of Russia, appears to be suggesting that it was accidental.

This is not the first time that objects have entered Poland’s airspace since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war, but Warsaw’s allies have said that this is a sign of the conflict escalating.

Here’s what we know so far.

What Was Poland’s Immediate Response?

The Polish military stated that it and allied partners had radar-tracked “several objects” and shot them down, later confirming that it had received assistance from the Dutch air force and its F-35 fighters in securing Polish skies.

“As a result of today’s attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, there was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects,” the military stated on X. “This is an act of aggression that created a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”

At about 7:40 a.m. local time, the Polish military stated that operations had concluded and that it was now engaged in a search for possible impact sites, warning civilians not to approach any unknown objects or debris.

What Have EU, NATO Allies Said?

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that the incident was a “reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s [airspace].”

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the incident was a sign that Russia’s war “is escalating, not ending.”

“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,” she wrote on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, writing on Truth Social on Sept. 10: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”

Along with condemnation of Russia came messages of support to Poland from NATO allies.

Von der Leyen said that Europe “stands in full solidarity with Poland,” a message echoed by Kallas.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a statement on X saying he had been in touch with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “to make clear our support for Poland” and to emphasize the UK’s support for Ukraine.

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker also underscored U.S. support of its NATO partners.

Whitaker wrote on X, “We stand by our [NATO] Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”

NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) stated that it and Allied Command Operations were staying in close contact with Polish authorities and thanked partners, including the Netherlands, for moving to a state of readiness to help defend NATO’s shared territory.

SHAPE stated that this was the first time that NATO aircraft had engaged potential threats in Allied airspace, and the alliance’s quick response demonstrated its “capability and resolve to defend Allied territory.”

The Epoch Times contacted the U.S. Department of State for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

What Has Russia Said?

Russia’s TASS news agency reported on Sept. 10 that the Polish Air Force had confirmed that several unmanned aerial vehicles that entered Poland’s airspace had been shot down but did not acknowledge Warsaw’s allegations regarding the origin of the drones.

Russian Charge d’Affaires Andrei Ordash, head of the Russian Embassy’s mission in Poland, later told the RIA news agency that Poland had not provided evidence of the alleged Russian origin of the drones that were shot down, suggesting that they had come from Ukraine.

“We know one thing—these drones were flying from the side of Ukraine,” Ordash said.

The Epoch Times contacted the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Belarus Says Drones ‘Went Astray’

While Poland and others have stated that the drones were intentionally sent into Polish territory, Russian ally Belarus has suggested that the incident was accidental.

Belarus Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Pavel Muraveiko said the drones went astray because of electronic jamming during an exchange of strikes between Russia and Ukraine overnight.

Has Anything Like This Happened Before?

Poland has stated that other Russian objects have entered its airspace during previous attacks on Ukraine. In August, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a Russian drone crashed and exploded in a cornfield in the eastern part of the country. In March, Poland’s air force scrambled jets after a Russian missile briefly passed through Polish airspace on its way to a target in western Ukraine.

In 2022, just a few months into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a Ukrainian missile struck a Polish village and killed two people. The incident sparked speculation that Russia had fired the missile into Polish territory. Shortly after the missile struck Polish territory, the Polish Foreign Ministry issued a statement claiming the projectile was of Russian manufacture.

Soon afterward, U.S. President Joe Biden declared that “preliminary information” appeared to indicate that Russia hadn’t fired the missile. U.S. military officials agreed, citing “initial findings” suggesting that Ukrainian air defenses had fired the missile to intercept Russian missiles.

What Happened in Ukraine Overnight?

Overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia fired 415 strike and decoy drones, as well as 42 cruise missiles and one ballistic missile, into its territory. It noted that air defenses intercepted or jammed 386 drones and 27 cruise missiles.

According to TASS, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that it had downed 122 Ukrainian drones over various Russian regions and the Black Sea, including over Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Adam Morrow, Aldgra Fredly, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.