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Warsaw today denounced an "unprecedented" violation of its airspace by Russian drones. The incident occurred during a massive attack on Ukraine. According to the Polish army, a dozen objects were detected on radar, several were neutralized, and the search for debris continues. Authorities have issued alerts in three regions in the east of the country and temporarily closed the airports in Warsaw, Rzeszow, and Lublin.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk immediately contacted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and said he was in "constant contact" with him. Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke of "a provocation of very great magnitude," in coordination with the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. NATO provided support via its air command, notably with the assistance of Dutch F-35 fighter jets. In Brussels, European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas denounced "the most serious violation of European airspace since the start of the war."

This is the first time that Poland has directly shot down Russian drones on its territory. Warsaw had already suffered several intrusions since August, but until now they had been of low intensity. This time, a damaged drone was found near Biala Podlaska, in the Lublin region. Kiev reacted strongly: according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Moscow is testing the West's determination and taking advantage of its "sense of impunity."

This escalation comes just days before the Russian-Belarusian military exercises "Zapad 2025," which are of particular concern to Warsaw. Their scenario involves the occupation of the Suwalki Corridor, a 65-kilometer strip connecting Poland to Lithuania and the only land access to the Baltic states. This strategic gateway, if lost, would effectively cut off the region from the rest of Europe. Since 2022, Poland has been living in fear that this location could become the epicenter of a direct confrontation with Moscow.

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