Poland says drone attack deliberate; Russia dismisses claims as “myths”

Poland says drone incursion deliberate, Russia accuses Warsaw of “escalation”

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said there was “no doubt” the violation of Poland’s airspace by drones overnight was intentional.

“This was not an accidental event. The command to shoot was given,” Sikorski told reporters, calling it “an unprecedented case of attack, not only on Polish territory, but also on NATO and European Union territory.”

In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Poland of attempting to “escalate” the conflict by spreading “myths” about drones entering its airspace.

Seven drones and unknown projectile debris recovered across Poland

Interior Ministry spokesperson Karolina Gałecka announced that, as of 11 a.m., authorities have located wreckage from seven drones and debris from an unknown projectile, likely a missile. The discoveries span multiple locations:

The remains were found in the following locations:

• Cześniki
• Czosnówka
• Wyryki (damaged a residential building)
• Krzywowierzba-Kolonia
• Wohyń
• Mniszków
• Olesno
• Wyhalew (projectile debris of unknown origin)

Gałecka urged the public to remain calm, follow instructions from official services, and refrain from touching or moving any drone fragments. Recovery operations continue across the affected regions as the situation evolves.

NATO pledges to defend “every inch” of territory

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that the multiple Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace on the night of September 9 to 10, 2025, triggered a coordinated allied response.

“Our air defenses were activated and successfully ensured the defense of NATO territory, as they are designed to do,” Stoltenberg said. He commended the Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS, NATO A330 MRTT, and German Patriot units involved in the interception.

The North Atlantic Council met in response to Poland’s request to invoke Article 4, which allows consultations when a member feels its security is threatened. Allies expressed solidarity with Poland and condemned Russia’s “reckless behaviour.”

Stoltenberg stressed that the incident was “absolutely reckless” regardless of whether the incursion was deliberate or accidental, and urged Moscow to stop its war on Ukraine and “stop violating Allied airspace.” He said NATO’s eastern flank remains under active management by the Supreme Allied Commander and that “allies are resolved to defend every inch of Allied territory.”

Report links Russian drones to Polish, Lithuanian SIM cards

Ukrainian outlet Defense Express reported that Moscow had been preparing for drone operations against Poland since at least July 2025, citing earlier discoveries of Polish and Lithuanian SIM cards inside Russian UAV wreckage.

In early July, Polish journalist Marek Budzisz published details of a report dated July 2, 2025, which described how 4G modems with SIM cards from Polish and Lithuanian operators were recovered from Russian drones shot down in Ukraine. The report noted that these findings suggested Russia was testing connections to mobile networks in preparation for possible flights over neighboring NATO countries.

According to the analysis, mobile internet links on Russian drones are used to transmit flight data, visual imagery, or information about the operation of air defense and electronic warfare systems.

It remains unclear whether the drones that entered Poland this week were equipped with such systems. However, Defense Express suggested that the incursion may have been intended, at least in part, to probe Polish air defenses, especially as Zapad 2025, the large-scale Russian-Belarusian military exercise, is set to begin in Belarus on September 12, 2025.

Zelensky calls for joint European air-defense after drones cross into Poland

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to share all available data on the Russian strike with Poland and pledged support in strengthening defenses.

“Ukraine is ready to provide Poland with all the necessary data regarding this Russian strike. We are also ready to help Poland build an effective system of warning and protection against such threats,” Zelensky said. “It is clear that Russian aggression poses a danger to every independent nation in our region, and therefore only joint and coordinated action can guarantee reliable security.”

Zelensky described the overnight events as a precedent: combat aircraft from several European countries were involved in intercepting Russian weapons. He renewed his call for a joint European air-defense system, combining combat aviation and ground-based assets to destroy drones and missiles reliably.

“Russia must feel that Europeans know how to defend themselves,” Zelensky concluded, urging deeper cooperation beyond intelligence-sharing to real joint defensive actions.

Poland to request NATO Article 4 after mass airspace violations

In an address to the Sejm, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland will formally request the invocation of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which allows allies to convene urgent consultations when a member’s territorial integrity or security is under threat.

“This is not our war. This is not just a war for Ukrainians. This is a confrontation that Russia has declared on the entire world,” Tusk said.

The prime minister detailed the scope of the overnight response, conducted under Operation Eastern Aurora. At 10:06 p.m., Polish forces received word of Russia’s massive air assault on Ukraine. In response, early warning systems and combat aircraft were activated, including Saab and NATO AWACS surveillance planes, Dutch F-35s, Polish F-16s, Mi-24 and Mi-17, and Black Hawk helicopters.

The operation lasted through the night, with the first airspace violations recorded at 11:30 p.m. and the last at 6:30 a.m. According to preliminary figures, 19 separate airspace violations were confirmed.

Belarus claims to have downed drones that strayed during strikes

Belarus said its air defense forces shot down several drones that had strayed into its territory overnight, allegedly as a result of electronic jamming during the exchange of Russian and Ukrainian strikes.

Major General Pavel Muraveiko, Chief of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces, stated that the drones were continuously tracked before being destroyed. He did not specify whether they were Russian or Ukrainian.

Muraveiko added that Poland and Lithuania were informed of the drones’ approach, which he claimed allowed Warsaw to scramble its forces in response.

Polish MP shares photos of downed Russian drone

Polish MP Dariusz Stefaniuk shared images on his Facebook page showing the wreckage of a downed drone. The photos indicate it was a Russian decoy drone marked ЫЫ32384, which reportedly crashed in a field near Czosnówka in eastern Poland.

The Gerbera drone was originally developed as a decoy, intended to overwhelm and saturate enemy air defenses. Over time, however, it has also been adapted as a loitering munition. Several Gerbera drones recovered in recent years were found to be carrying explosive payloads.

Prime Minister calls incident a “large-scale provocation”

Speaking at an extraordinary meeting at the Chancellery in Warsaw on September 10, 2025, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that a “significant number” of Russian drones had violated Polish airspace overnight. He described the event as a likely “large-scale provocation” by Russia.

“The threat has been eliminated. We have not recorded any casualties. The search for the remains of the downed drones continues. We are gradually reopening the airports,” Tusk said. “The threat has been eliminated thanks to the decisive action of our commanders, our soldiers, our pilots and also our allies.”

The prime minister stressed that this was “the first time that Russian drones have been shot down over the territory of a NATO country,” adding that Poland’s allies were taking the situation very seriously. He confirmed the government remained in close contact with NATO leadership.

Macron condemns Russian drone incursion into Poland

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violation of Polish airspace during Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine, calling the incident “simply unacceptable.”

“I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. I call on Russia to put an end to this headlong rush. I reiterate our full solidarity with the Polish people and their government,” Macron said.

The French president added that he would soon speak with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, stressing, “We will not compromise on the security of Allies.”

Drone debris damages residential building in eastern Poland

Polish media Polsat News reported that debris from a Russian drone struck a residential property in the village of Wyryki Wola, in Włodawa County, Lublin Voivodeship. The impact damaged the roof of the house and a car parked nearby, though no one was injured.

Deputy Inspector Andrzej Fijołek of the Lublin Provincial Police confirmed the incident to Polsat News, while local mayor Mariusz Zańko said residents had heard an explosion and observed Polish fighter jets overhead.

“The situation is quite difficult and worrying; there is indeed great concern among residents,” Zańko said, adding that officials are on site to assess the damage.