2025 Russian drone incursion into Poland

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2025 Russian drone incursion into Poland
Part of the spillover of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Visualisation of the drone incursion into Poland (drone flight paths in yellow)[relevant? – discuss]
Locations of Drones
Cześniki
Cześniki
Czosnówka
Czosnówka
Krzywowierzba-Kolonia
Krzywowierzba-Kolonia
Wielki Łan
Wielki Łan
Wohyń
Wohyń
Wyhalew
Wyhalew
Wyryki-Wola
Wyryki-Wola
Mniszków
Mniszków
Oleśno
Oleśno
Kaliningrad (Russia)
Ukraine
Bychawka Trzecia
Bychawka Trzecia
Zabłocie-Kolonia
Zabłocie-Kolonia
Rabiany
Rabiany
Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą
Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą
Czyżów
Czyżów
Smyków
Smyków
Sobótka
Sobótka
2025 Russian drone incursion into Poland (Poland)
Locations of drone hits and falls, and associated debris
Date9–10 September 2025
Time23:30–06:45 (CEST)
Duration7 hours 15 minutes
LocationEastern, central and northern Poland
TypeAirspace intrusion by military drones
MotiveUnknown
Outcome
Countries involved

On 9 September 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m. CEST,[4] 19[5] to 23[6] drones entered Poland's airspace after allegedly being launched from Russia. The incursion triggered a Quick Reaction Alert by the Polish Air Force and other NATO militaries who scrambled aircraft,[7][4][8] and up to four drones were confirmed to have been shot down,[1] most of them by the Dutch Air Force. Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk said that the drones "posed a direct threat" and had been shot down.[5] The airspace over Warsaw International Airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport, Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport, and Lublin Airport was closed while the Russian drone fleet was in Polish airspace.[9][10]

Shortly thereafter, the Polish government invoked Article 4,[5] with Polish deputy prime minister Radosław Sikorski stating "We are dealing with an unprecedented case of an attack not only on the territory of Poland but also on the territory of NATO and the EU".[11] In the aftermath of the incident, Russia and Belarus conducted joint military exercises, the largest since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[12]

Incursion and defence

[edit]

Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita claimed that the number of Russian drones was around 23;[2] they entered Poland via Belarus.[13] Belarus warned Poland and Lithuania before the incursion that several drones affected by electronic warfare in Ukraine passed through Belarusian territory.[14][15]

Several NATO countries also took part in the operation to shoot down the drones, aiding the Polish F-16s. The deployment included Dutch F-35 Lightning II, Italian airborne early warning and control aircraft, and a Belgian Airbus A330 MRTT aerial tanker.[16] German MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air systems in Poland were placed on high alert[17][18] and tracked the path of the drone wave.[19] Out of those drones that were shot down, most were downed by Dutch F-35 aircraft.[2][20] The last shootdown occurred at 06:45 CEST.[21] These actions mark the first time Poland, or any NATO country, has engaged and downed Russian assets in its airspace since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.[22][23]

Locations of drones and debris included several near the Polish eastern border (Bychawka Trzecia, Cześniki, Czosnówka, Krzywowierzba-Kolonia, Wielki Łan, Wohyń, Wyhalew, Wyryki-Wola, Zabłocie-Kolonia, and near Rabiany), several in south-eastern Poland (Czyżów, Smyków, Sobótka), as well as a field near Mniszków and the town of Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą in central Poland,[21] and Oleśno in northern Poland.[24][25][26] One of the drones struck a residential building in Wyryki-Wola, Lublin Voivodeship, destroying the roof of the building.[27]

Analysis

[edit]
A Gerbera-type drone such as those used in the Russian incursion into Polish air space

At least some of the drones used in the incursion were of the Gerbera type.[28] Others comprised polystyrene rather than plywood. The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Lublin said that the recovered drones were not armed and did not contain explosive materials; it described them as "decoy drones".[29] According to two analysts quoted by BBC Verify (Justin Bronk of RUSI and Justin Crump of the risk and intelligence company Sibylline), "...the scale of the incursion suggests it was almost certainly a deliberate act on Russia's part."[28]

Following the 9–10 September incursion, Rzeczpospolita stated that modernisation of the "SkyCTRL" anti-drone system in Poland had been delayed for eighteen months by the Polish Ministry of Defence (MON) due to lack of funds, and that the system was effectively inactive. Rzeczpospolita stated its expectation that MON would find the needed funding, but that several months would be needed for implementation.[2]

As of 12 September 2025, the wrecks of 17 drones had been identified. Marcin Przydacz, the Polish presidential advisor on international affairs, confirmed that 21 drones crossed into Polish airspace during the incursion.[30]

On 12 September 2025 the UN Security Council held an extraordinary session called on the request of Poland to discuss the incident.[31]

Diplomatic reactions

[edit]
  • Poland – Prime minister Donald Tusk requested the invocation of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty.[32]
  • Russia – Andrey Ordash, Russia's chargé d'affaires in Poland, stated that the accusations of the incursion were groundless.[33]
  • Belarus – Intercepted purportedly stray drones.[34] Pavel Muraveiko, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus, said that Belarus had informed Poland and Lithuania ahead of time about drones being out of control due to electronic jamming. He added that "The Republic of Belarus will continue to fulfill its obligations within the framework of the exchange of information on the air situation with the Republic of Poland and the Baltic countries".[14]
  • Belgium – Defense minister Theo Francken said "Russian violations of NATO airspace are unacceptable". He also expressed solidarity and support with Poland.[35]
  • Bulgaria – President Rumen Radev wrote on X, stating that "Violating the airspace of sovereign Poland leads to a dangerous escalation of tension between Russia and NATO".[36] Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said "Our position is clear and aligned with that of our allies. We express the Alliance's determination to take all necessary measures foreseen by the treaty".[37]
  • European Union – President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU stood "in full solidarity with Poland".[34] The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Security Policy/Vice-President Kaja Kallas had also released a statement in support of Poland and condemnation of Russia.[38][39]
  • Finland – Prime minister Petteri Orpo condemned Russia's actions and expressed "full support to Poland."[40]
  • France – President Emmanuel Macron called the incursion "unacceptable".[34]
  • Germany – Defense minister Boris Pistorius said "[t]hese drones were quite obviously deliberately directed on this course—in order to fly into Ukraine". He also expressed support for Poland's requested Article 4 consultations.[41]
  • Hungary – Prime minister Viktor Orbán expressed full solidarity with Poland, calling the violation of Poland's territorial integrity "unacceptable".[42]
    • Orbán's statement was rebuffed by Poland's Sikorski, who called Hungary to condemn Russian aggression, approve stronger sanctions against Russia and unblock the disbursement of EU funds for defence and the start of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. Orbán's message came at a moment of diplomatic crisis between Hungary and Poland, being thus regarded as exceptional by many as Euronews described.[42]
  • Italy – Prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed full solidarity with Poland for the "serious and unacceptable violation" of its airspace.[43]
  • Moldova – President Maia Sandu condemned the attack on Ukraine and the violation of Polish airspace, noting that Moldova had suffered similar incidents. She called for greater support for Ukraine and investments in stronger air defense in Europe.[44]
  • Romania – President Nicușor Dan and defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu both declared that Romania stands in full solidarity with Poland. President Dan further added that "Russia must be stopped and pressured to come to the negotiation table".[45] Romania furthermore scrambled fighter jets to monitor a group of Russian drones near its border, though no drones entered Romanian airspace.[46]
  •  Spain – Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X "Russia's violation of European airspace is unacceptable. We express our complete solidarity with Poland, which can always count on Spain in the defense of our common peace and security.".[47] Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares said on X "I just spoke with my Polish counterpart. I conveyed Spain's solidarity with him in the face of Russia's flagrant violation of Polish airspace. Europeans and allies are united. We protect the peace and security of Europe and the people of Europe.".[48]
  • Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a statement in which he stated that the incursion could not be called an "accident".[49]
  • United Kingdom – Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the drone incursion as "deeply concerning" and as "an extremely reckless move" by Russia. The UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, described it as "a new level of hostility against Europe." He also stated that he had asked the UK armed forces to "look at options to bolster NATO's air defence over Poland," adding, "We see what Putin is doing. Yet again he is testing us. Yet again we will stand firm."[50][51]
  • United States – Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said "We stand by our [NATO] Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory."[52] President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "What's with Russia violating Poland's airspace with drones? Here we go!".[53]
  • Norway – Norway's Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, stated his belief that the incident was a Russian attempt to probe NATO during a period of heightened tension.[54]

Aftermath

[edit]

Military support for Poland

[edit]

A number of countries have pledged military support for Poland following the drone incursion:

Polish-Belarusian border closure during Zapad 2025 exercise

[edit]

On 9 September 2025, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland would close its border with Belarus at midnight on 11 September, citing national security concerns over aggressive military tactics that were to take place near the Polish border during the Zapad 2025 exercises. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the border would only be reopened when the government was certain that there was no longer a threat to Polish citizens. NATO and neighboring countries like Lithuania have also strengthened their border security in response to the exercises. Relations between Poland and Belarus have been increasingly strained since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with both countries recently arresting each other's nationals on espionage charges, further escalating tensions. Belarus condemned the closure, describing it as an "abuse" of Poland's geographic position.[67] The border was closed on September 12.[68]

Operation Eastern Sentry

[edit]

On 12 September 2025, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that action to protect the alliance's eastern borders would begin in the following days, involving military forces from Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and others under the name of "Eastern Sentry". Rutte said that "Russia's recklessness in the air, along our eastern flank, is increasing in frequency" and that the mission would be "flexible and agile". The operation's assets will include two F-16s and a Danish anti-air frigate, along with three Rafale jets from France and four Eurofighters from Germany. Rutte added that "Although the immediacy of our focus is on Poland, this situation transcends the border of one nation. What affects one ally affects us all." Eastern Sentry is based upon the already ongoing Baltic Sentry, an initiative launched in response to the sabotage of cables in the Baltic Sea.[69][70]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Italy provided early warning aircraft.
  2. ^ Germany utilised Patriot systems.
  3. ^ The Netherlands contributed F-35 fighters, originally stationed in Estonia, and shot down the majority of the drones.
  4. ^ Belgium refuelled F-35 aircraft in flight with kerosene.

References

[edit]
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