Polish and allied aircraft were activated early Wednesday in response to what NATO-member Poland said were repeated violations of its airspace by Russian drones as Moscow’s forces carried out air attacks on Ukraine’s western regions nearby.
Newsweek reached out to the Kremlin via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Poland has frequently scrambled jets in response to waves of Russian aerial attacks on its neighbor, Ukraine, throughout the war launched more than 3 1/2 years ago.
NATO members are collectively obliged to respond to attacks on other alliance nations under Article 5 of the founding treaty. Russian drones and missiles entering NATO airspace have not been treated as attacks on the alliance.
Russia has hammered Ukraine with missile and drone attacks despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a ceasefire deal, and the Republican’s pointed criticism of Moscow targeting Ukrainian cities.
A Polish air force Su-22 bomber flies over Nowogrod, Poland, during an exercise on May 19, 2022.
A Polish air force Su-22 bomber flies over Nowogrod, Poland, during an exercise on May 19, 2022.
Getty Images/WOJTEK RADWANSK/AFP
What To Know
“During today’s attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on targets located in the territory of Ukraine, our airspace was repeatedly violated by drone-type objects,” operational command of the Polish armed forces said in a post to X.
“An operation is underway aimed at identifying and neutralizing the objects. On the orders of the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, weapons have been deployed, and services are actively working to locate the downed objects,” it added.
Polish authorities have closed Warsaw International Airport, CNN reported.
Most of Ukraine, including western regions of Volyn and Lviv that border Poland, were under air raid alerts for several hours early Wednesday—according to Ukraine’s air force—which earlier reported that Russian drones had entered Poland’s airspace, threatening the city of Zamosc, per Reuters.
Ukrainian media also reported that several Russian drones had crossed into Poland’s air space.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on X: “Repeated violations of NATO airspace by Russian drones are fair warning that Vladimir Putin is testing our resolve to protect Poland and the Baltic nations. After the carnage Putin continues to visit on Ukraine, these incursions cannot be ignored.”
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, referring to Trump’s calls for NATO countries to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense, to Newsweek last week: “President Trump was right that Europeans had disarmed themselves for too long…If we do this, then by the end of this decade, Russia will be in no position to threaten us.”