Fighter jets from a number of NATO countries took down over a dozen Russian drones in Polish airspace. The Wall Street Journal reports:
NATO-member warplanes shot down several Russian drones over Poland, the first time the alliance has engaged Russian drones over a member’s territory after what officials contend was a test of its defenses by Moscow.
The incident, which Polish authorities said involved 19 incursions into its airspace, led authorities to close major Polish airports for the first time since the Ukraine war began.
“We are dealing likely with a provocation on a large scale,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, following an emergency meeting of ministers Wednesday.
Russian warplanes have long tested NATO’s responses by flying near or even into the airspace of alliance members. NATO countries rotate air-policing duties along alliance borders. Those cat-and-mouse encounters, involving traditional crewed aircraft, have become more brazen since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but remain on the alliance’s periphery.
Tuesday night’s drone incursions reached further west over Poland than at any time previously reported during the war.
Read more here.
Deputy Prime Minister of Poland W. Kosiniak-Kamysz responded to the provocations with a statement, writing:
– It was a very busy night for the Polish Armed Forces, for all services, for pilots, for ground personnel, for all elements of the Polish state security system. From yesterday evening, in fact, right after my arrival in London, I was in contact with General Klisz, who made the decision to activate all forces and resources. All night, all systems and resources available for the security of the Polish state, needed for this operation, were activated. Both Polish and allied procedures worked. I would like to thank above all those who are carrying out this mission all the time. This stage has ended, but military service and all allied duties, of course, continue. I particularly thank the pilots of the Air Force and the officers of the Air Force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands – emphasized Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak-Kamysz at a press conference regarding the unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also made a statement. Watch below:
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