Poland says he knocked down Russian drones after breaking airspace

At least three Russian drones were beaten by NATO Polish and other aircraft in Poland’s airspace during the attacks on Ukraine, the Polish Prime Minister said.

Donald Tusk said that Poland had recorded 19 drones, some fly deep enough to temporarily close four airports, including the main Hub Chopin.

“This situation brings us closer to the fact that we were open conflicts after World War II,” he said. This is the first time Russian drones were beaten on NATO after a full -scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that there were no “plans” on the Polish soil.

“The maximum range of Russian drones, which allegedly moved to Poland, does not exceed 700 km (435 miles),” the ministry said, adding that “ready” to consult with the Polish Ministry of Defense.

A temporary accusation in Russia in Poland said Warsaw did not provide evidence that drones were Russian origin.

Belarus, close to the Russian ally, claimed that the drones entered the Polish air space after their navigation systems were detained.

President of Ukrainian Volodimir Zelensky warned that the last attack was a “extremely dangerous precedent for Europe”, and Foreign Minister Andrei Sibikh said he showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin “continues to grow, expanding the war.”

US President Donald Trump wrote on the social media platform on Wednesday: “What with Russia, which violates Poland’s air space with drones?

Speaking to Polish lawmakers on Wednesday, Tusk said that three – and maybe four drones were beaten over the night.

He said that the Polish authorities had no information that believed that he had suffered or died “as a result of a Russian action”.

“The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were beaten, changes the political situation.

“I have no reason to say that we are on the verge of war, but the line was crossed, and it is incomparably more dangerous than before.”

The press secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Caroline Halek said that 15 drones were found on Wednesday night. Most were located in the region of Eastern Lublin, bordering Belarus and Ukraine. Five was discovered in central, western and southern Poland, much further from the borders, she added.

Tusk also said he asked for an article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which officially starts urgent consultations within the 32-member alliance.

Poland is a NATO state – the US and numerous European countries together on collective defense.

Both Tusk and Novoroki stated that they were in “regular contact” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rute, who praised the “very successful reaction” of the Alliance.

The Polish Ministry of Defense reported the BBC that drones “that could be threatened were destroyed preventively.”

“Polish and NATO planes, including F-35, F-16 and Mi-24, MI-17 and Black Hawk helicopters, were sent to the designated area of ​​operation. Lightning defense and radar intelligence systems were placed on the maximum announcement.”

Poland’s military also thanked NATO and the Netherlands for the deployment of f-35 fighters.

Russian drones, which joined Poland, were part of the last major air attack on Ukraine, and Kyiv reported that more than 400 drones and 42 missiles were launched.

Poland has repeatedly recorded some invads to the airport since a full -scale invasion of Ukraine, including the one who died two Polish farmers near the Ukrainian border in November 2022.

But the last incident became one of the different quantities, Justina Gotkovskaya, the deputy director of the Eastern Studies Center, founded in Warsaw, the BBC – a significant one “from the scale, several drones and unarmed drones.”

The drones were a “Russian provocation” intended to test Poland “in a very polarized political situation” and exploitation of existing divisions, she said.

But “the reaction to the Polish side was the only, civil, military and political, Polish coordination of NATO.”

Miroslav Koznovsky – Deputy Mayor Milanovka, city outside Warsaw – said he was pleased with the reaction of the authorities, but emphasized that it was necessary to do more to be able to defend himself.

“We must be prepared. It’s all above the agenda,” he said BBC, adding that Milanówek is now building a multifunction fire station that will be used to control the crisis.

Additional report by Thomas Makintosh