NEW YORK and LONDON — Polish airspace was violated by a “enormous quantity” of Russian drones in a single day, the nation’s prime minister stated, a torrent of exercise that triggered a response from the NATO nation’s air pressure, which scrambled and downed a number of of the drones.
“These drones that posed a direct risk have been shot down,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk said early on Wednesday on social media. “I’m in fixed communication with the Secretary-Normal of NATO and our allies.”
Polish and allied plane — together with Dutch F-35 fighter jets — have been airborne in a single day to “assist guarantee suey in Polish skies,” the navy stated. These operations ended early on Wednesday, Warsaw stated, including that the search continued for downed drones and potential impression websites.
The nation’s navy command described the violations as “unprecedented,” saying they amounted to “an act of aggression that posed an actual risk to the security of our residents.”
Polish authorities didn’t report any casualties associated to the drone incursion.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk holds a unprecedented authorities assembly on the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, with navy and emergency companies officers, following violations of Polish airspace throughout a Russian assault on Ukraine, in Warsaw, Poland, September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Kacper Pempel/Reuters
NATO Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte was “consulting carefully with Poland,” Allison Hart, a spokesperson for the bloc, said on social media. She confirmed “quite a few” drones had entered Poland and stated that NATO defenses had been activated.
NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe stated in a press release to social media that German Patriot surface-to-air missile programs based mostly in Poland have been positioned on alert and that an Italian airborne early warning plane was deployed. A NATO aerial refueling plane was additionally launched.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as “merely unacceptable.” He in a put up to X, “I name on Russia to place an finish to this reckless escalation. I reiterate to the Polish individuals and their authorities our full solidarity.”
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen stated in put up to X, “Europe is in a combat. A combat for our liberty and our capability to find out our future for ourselves.”
“At the moment, we’ve seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s [airspace] by greater than 10 Russian Shahed drones,” von der Leyen added. “Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early on Wednesday described the violation as “one other escalation step,” saying that no less than eight Russian drones had entered Polish airspace.
“An especially harmful precedent for Europe,” he stated in Ukrainian on the messaging app Telegram.
It was not instantly clear whether or not Russia had meant to ship the drones into NATO airspace. Russian and Ukrainian drones have been recognized to go off beam throughout long-range strikes as a consequence of digital warfare measures employed by the combatants.
The incursions occurred throughout a significant Russian strike on Ukraine, which the air pressure in Kyiv stated consisted of 415 drones and 35 missiles. Of these, 386 drones and 27 missiles have been intercepted or suppressed, the air pressure stated.
Normal Wieslaw Kukula, chief of the Normal Workers of the Polish Armed Forces and Commander-in-Chief of Police Marek Boron stand on the Chancellery of the Prime Minister for a unprecedented authorities assembly, following violations of Polish airspace throughout a Russian assault on Ukraine, in Warsaw, Poland, September 10, 2025.
Kacper Pempel/Reuters
The Kremlin didn’t instantly concern a press release however Zelenskyy positioned the violation as something however an accident — saying it might need been thought of one if it had been only one drone that crossed the border.
Zelenskyy referred to as for penalties for Russia, saying Moscow “should really feel that the battle can’t be expanded and have to be ended.”
Navy officers in Poland earlier stated the nation’s airspace was “repeatedly violated by drone-type objects” within the in a single day hours amid Russian strikes on targets in Ukraine.
“An operation is underway geared toward figuring out and neutralizing the objects,” the Polish navy stated in one in all its preliminary statements, every of which urged individuals to remain at residence.
Probably the most threatened areas had been Podlaskie, Mazowieckie and Lubelskie, Poland stated. Polish safety companies stated they despatched an SMS message to cellphones within the space — sending the kind of alert that is turn out to be a nightly prevalence in neighboring Ukraine.
Earlier, the Polish navy stated it had scrambled jets and was taking “preventative” motion in the course of the “huge assault” carried out by Russia on services in Ukraine.
F-16 Jet Fighter of Polish Air Power, pictured throughout climb.
Marcin Rozpedowski/Getty Photos
“Polish and allied plane are working in our airspace, and ground-based air protection and radar reconnaissance programs have reached the best state of readiness,” the navy stated within the earlier assertion.
Tusk, the Polish prime minister, convened a unprecedented authorities assembly early on Wednesday, bringing collectively the nation’s emergency and navy officers.
A senior Polish official advised ABC Information that Warsaw is “severely contemplating invoking Article 4 of the NATO treaty” in response to the drone incursion. The clause permits a NATO member to convene a gathering of allies to seek the advice of on a problem that might threaten its safety.
Poland beforehand invoked Article 4 on Feb. 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which triggered pressing NATO consultations on the time.
The senior Polish official advised ABC Information that Poland’s authorities and opposition are united and that “occasions from the previous a number of hours justify its use once more.”
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who additionally serves as overseas affairs minister, met previous to that assembly with Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian overseas affairs minister, in keeping with Poland. Jacek Najder, Poland’s consultant to NATO, was additionally current, the nation’s Overseas Ministry stated.
“The safety of Polish men and women is the best precedence,” the ministry stated previous to the assembly.
Tusk within the emergency cupboard assembly stated the there was “no purpose to panic,” in keeping with the Chancellery.
“The procedures have been carried out accurately, the decision-making course of was flawless, and the risk was successfully eradicated due to the resolute actions of commanders, troopers, and our allies,” Tusk stated in the course of the assembly, in keeping with his workplace. “I’m deeply grateful.”
A soldier is pictured after a drone or related object struck a residential constructing, in keeping with native authorities, in Wyryki municipality, Poland, on Sept. 10, 2025.
Jakub Orzechowski / Agencja Wybo/Agencja Wyborcza.pl through Reuters
The Protection Ministry in Belarus — which is aligned with Russia and has assisted its invasion of Ukraine — stated in a press release that its forces additionally downed drones that went off beam “on account of the impression of the events’ digital warfare belongings.”
Minsk stated it shared info with neighboring Poland and Lithuania concerning the incoming drones. “This allowed the Polish facet to reply promptly to the actions of the drones by scrambling their forces on responsibility,” the ministry stated.
The ministry added that Polish forces had additionally notified Belarusian forces of incoming unidentified plane from Ukrainian territory.
A Lithuanian Protection Ministry official advised ABC Information that there have been no violations of Lithuanian airspace in a single day.
In Romania — which borders Ukraine to its southwest — the Protection Ministry stated two F-16 fighter jets have been scrambled in response to a “group of aerial drones within the space of the Ukrainian city of Valcov, on the border with Romania.”
No drones entered Romanian airspace, the ministry stated in a press release.
ABC Information’ Dada Jovanovic and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.
