Poland’s army shot down Russian drones overnight, raising NATO concerns over wider European security.
Poland’s army has shot down several Russian attack drones over its territory, marking the first such incident since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Officials confirmed 19 drones were detected overnight Wednesday, some launched from Belarusian airspace. A house in Wyryki-Wola, near the Ukrainian border, was severely damaged, though no casualties were reported.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said NATO was treating the incident “very seriously.” Belarus claimed it also downed Russian drones and shared data with Poland, though Tusk condemned drones entering Polish airspace directly from Belarus.
Military experts warn the Iranian-made Shahed drones, rebranded by Russia as Geran-2s, have ranges of up to 2,500km, theoretically putting Warsaw, Berlin, Brussels and even Paris within reach.
NATO assets including F-35 and F-16 jets were scrambled during the intercepts. Analysts cautioned against relying on expensive fighter jets to counter drones costing as little as €17,000 each.
Poland has raised its military readiness as NATO evaluates its air defence strategy.