NATO issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin today after Russian drones violated Polish airspace overnight, forcing a multinational response.
Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the military alliance, told Putin to 'stop violating allied airspace, and know that we stand ready, that we are vigilant, and that we will defend every inch of NATO territory' following emergency discussions.
He said that a full assessment was 'ongoing', adding that regardless of whether the incursion was intentional, 'it is absolutely reckless, it is absolutely dangerous'.
Rutte said that NATO had shown it was able to defend its territory and airspace having scrambled fighter jets and employing Italian surveillance aircraft after patriot defence systems detected drones on their radars.
Russian drones and missiles have entered NATO airspace several times during Russia's war in Ukraine, but a NATO country has never tried to shoot them down.
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, assessed the incursion was likely a large-scale provocation, saying Poland had identified 19 violations and shot down at least three drones overnight. He also warned that it tests 'NATO's response threshold'.
'There is no doubt that this provocation is incomparably more dangerous from Poland's point of view than any previous ones,' Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
'This situation brings us all closer to open conflict, closer than at any time since the Second World War.'
Poland invoked NATO's Article 4, under which any member can call urgent talks when it feels its 'territorial integrity, political independence or security' are at risk.
Russia denied responsibility, before its defence ministry said it was 'ready' for talks with Poland over what it called the 'alleged' drone incursion.
What is Article 4?
Article 4 states that members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territory, political independence or security of any of them is threatened.
Under Article 4, discussions at the North Atlantic Council - NATO's principal political decision-making body - could potentially lead to some form of joint decision or action.
Since NATO's creation in 1949, Article 4 has been invoked seven times, most recently in February 2022 when Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia sought consultations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
NATO ambassadors in November 2022 held an emergency meeting after a missile strike killed two people in Poland and raised global alarm that the war could spill into neighboring countries.
The ministry said its forces had achieved all its targets in the attack, and pointed out that the Russian drones 'which allegedly crossed the border with Poland' had a range of not more than 700 km (434 miles).
'Nevertheless, we are prepared to hold consultations with the Polish Defence Ministry on this topic,' it said.
Against Russia's rebuttal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the airspace violation was a 'dangerous precedent' for Europe, saying it was 'no accident'.
He brandished the incursion, which damaged a house and a car, an attempt to 'humiliate' Poland, and called for a strong response from NATO.
'Russia must feel that the response to this escalatory step, and even more so to an attempt to humiliate one of Europe's key countries, will be clear and strong from all partners,' Zelensky said.
Tusk said he had invoked NATO's Article 4 under which any member can call urgent talks when it feels its 'territorial integrity, political independence or security' are at risk - only the eighth time the measure has ever been used.
The incident has pushed tensions with an increasingly emboldened Vladimir Putin into unchartered territory, with NATO chief Mark Rutte vowing that 'we will defend every inch of NATO territory'.
Poland's Tusk met with top officials after the stand-off and relayed that the drones were shot down in a joint effort with NATO allies. He said that Poland was in communication with allies.
The North Atlantic Council, NATO's main political decision-making body, also changed the format of its weekly meeting on Wednesday, holding it under Article 4 of the alliance treaty.
A cornerstone of the Western military alliance is the principle that an attack on any member is deemed an attack on all.
A member of the Polish Army inspects a damaged house on September 10, 2025
Earlier, Donald Tusk accused Russia of a 'large-scale provocation' and said: 'This is the first time Russian drones have been shot down over the territory of a Nato country. All our allies are taking the situation very seriously. We have not recorded any casualties.'
More than eight million Poles were ordered to hide in their homes as the drones flew overhead, with debris from one shot-down device crashing into a house.
The operational command of Poland's military said the airspace violations were 'unprecedented' and called it 'an act of aggression'.
Russia's top diplomat in Poland, Andrei Ordash, told RIA Novosti, meanwhile, that he had been summoned to the foreign ministry for a meeting at noon (1000 GMT).
He said Warsaw was yet to show evidence that the drones shot down overnight had come from Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones'.
He said: 'This morning's barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones is deeply concerning.
'This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin's blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day.' He also said he had been in contact with the Polish leader to offer support.
The roof of a home was demolished after it was hit by a drone
Ukraine was unwavering in its assertion that Russia had tried to 'humiliate' Poland with an 'escalatory' attack.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the incident was 'no accident'. Writing on X, he said: 'Increasing evidence indicates that this movement, this direction of strike, was no accident.
'Russia must feel that the response to this escalatory step, and even more so to an attempt to humiliate one of Europe's key countries, will be clear and strong from all partners,' Zelensky said.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga wrote on X: 'Russian drones flying into Poland during the massive attack on Ukraine show that Putin's sense of impunity keeps growing because he was not properly punished for his previous crimes.
'Putin just keeps escalating, expanding his war, and testing the West,' Sybiga said. 'The longer he faces no strength in response, the more aggressive he gets.'
'A weak response now will provoke Russia even more - and then Russian missiles and drones will fly even further into Europe,' he added.
Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, has condemned the violation of the country's airspace and says it was likely a large-scale provocation. He also warned that it tests 'NATO's response threshold'.
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, agreed that early indications suggest the drone incident was intentional.
'Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental,' Kallas said in a statement.
The EU's top diplomat said that she is in contact with NATO and Poland's foreign minister and following developments.
'The EU stands in full solidarity with Poland. Russia's war is escalating, not ending. We must raise the cost to Moscow, strengthen support for Ukraine, and invest in Europe's defence,' she said.
A senior NATO diplomat, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the incursion was 'not seen as the start of something bigger'.
'There was no word on whether this was intentional - it looks like it was either aimed at testing NATO or could have been the aim was to approach targets in Ukraine from a different angle,' the diplomat said.
British forces were not directly involved in the rush to defend Polish airspace, defence sources confirmed this morning.
British troops, air defence systems and aircraft are based in eastern Poland. These assets include RAF Typhoon jets and C-17 and A400 transport aircraft. The jets are deployed as part of NATO's enhanced air policing role.
Belarus also said on Wednesday that it had shot down some drones which went astray due to electronic jamming during an exchange of strikes between Russia and Ukraine, and that Minsk had informed Poland and Lithuania of the approach of the drones.
The statement by Belarus' Chief of the General Staff, Major General Pavel Muraveiko, did not say whose drones went astray.
It said: 'Some of the lost drones were destroyed by our country's Air Defence Forces over the territory of the republic.' He added that Poland and Lithuania were informed of the approach of the drones.
Observers have indicated that with this, Putin may be laying the groundwork for a future invasion of Poland or other NATO nations. Since last week, Russia has been preparing to hold its huge military drills, which take place every four years. Officials have described them as 'provocations'.
It has also been noted that the drills typically follow a significant military action, raising fears that Putin could escalate his aggression a step further. Critics have said the drills are rehearsals for future potential attacks on Europe.
Yesterday, it was announced that Poland was shutting its border with Belarus from midnight on Thursday in response to the Zapad exercise, a collaboration between Russia and Belarus. Tusk said: 'We are facing a growing number of provocations from Russia and Belarus.'
The recent development has caused major disruptions in Poland. There are several flight delays at the international airport in Warsaw
Poland officials are inspecting the sites of the downed drones. It has warned residents not to touch or move any of the objects if found, as they may pose a threat and could contain hazardous material
The recent development has caused major disruptions in Poland. There are several flight delays at the international airport in Warsaw.
A search for possible crash sites is now ongoing, according to Poland's armed forces.
Poland's armed forces have warned residents not to touch or move any of the objects if found, as they may pose a threat and could contain hazardous material.
The country's defence minister thanked NATO Air Command and the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force for supporting the action with F-35 fighter jets.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned the drones 'could have posed a threat', adding: 'The operation is ongoing.'
He said he was in constant contact with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, while Finnish MP Jarno Limnell said: 'When NATO airspace is violated, the entire alliance is involved. This is not about an individual incident but an action that tests NATO's response threshold.'
The escalation also saw NATO fighters clamber in Slovakia and Romania due to the threats from Vladimir Putin. A US F35 is also among jets involved in the mission. Russia has remained silent on the incident so far.
One report said Polish police had discovered the wreckage of a Russian attack drone, near the village of Czosnówka in eastern Poland, 15 miles from the border with Belarus.
Poland's president Karol Nawrocki speaking at a press conference today. Earlier, he described the situation as an unprecedented moment in NATO history
Wednesday's clash was the first of its kind since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The move was seen as an escalation by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Poland's army command first said in the early hours of the morning that airspace was violated by 'drone-type objects' during the Russian attack across the border in Ukraine.
'An operation is underway aimed at identifying and neutralising these objects... weapons have been used, and service personnel are carrying out actions to locate the downed objects,' it said in a statement.
It said the military operation was ongoing and urged people to stay at home, naming the regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as most at risk.
'The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces is monitoring the situation, and subordinate forces and units remain on full readiness for immediate response,' it added.
A further statement added: 'As a result of attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory, there was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects.
'This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, pictured on September 4, said: 'The operation is ongoing'
Donald Tusk said on X that the drones that 'intruded' Polish airspace could have posed a threat
Cordoned off area and part of discovered drone is seen in the village of Mniszkow in central Poland, where one of the Russian drones that breached Polish airspace last night was discovered on September 10
'On the order of the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, defensive procedures were immediately activated.
'Polish and allied assets radar-tracked several objects, and the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces made decisions to neutralise those that could pose a threat.
'Some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Efforts are underway to search for and locate the possible crash sites of these objects.
'The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation, and Polish and allied forces and assets remain fully prepared for further actions.'
At least one US F-35 was among the NATO planes in the skies, and a refuelling aircraft was sent from the Netherlands.
As the operation was underway, Russia reportedly staged a massive new missile and drone attack on neighbouring Ukraine.
Mr Tusk called an emergency session with his security ministers for 7am UK time.
The country also closed four airports, including its main Chopin Airport in Warsaw, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
Poland was on high alert early Wednesday as a result of Ukraine's warning (file photo of a US F-35)
There was no official confirmation from Polish authorities that any airports had been closed.
Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said: 'Russia has launched many missiles, and drone attacks continue, which pose a threat not only to our people.
'The terrorist country continues the war, although it constantly declares a desire for peace.'
The Rzeszow–Jasionka Airport in Poland's southeast, a hub for passenger and arms transfers to Ukraine, was among the airports that had been temporarily closed, the FAA said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Air Force said on the Telegram messaging app that drones were heading west and threatening the city of Zamosc in Poland.
Ukrainian media also reported that at least one drone was heading towards the western Polish city of Rzeszow, but Polish officials have not confirmed whether drones had entered their airspace.
The Polish Territorial Defence Force shortened the times needed for defense personnel to be prepared to report for active service. Those in red areas were warned to be ready within six hours, those in yellow have to be prepared in 12
Plane tracking website FlightRadar24 said that a notice to airmen was active for four airports and traffic areas in Poland, with overflights continuing through the areas, 'but further west than usual'.
As of 0000 GMT, most of Ukraine, including western regions of Volyn and Lviv, which border Poland, were under air raid alerts for several hours, according to Ukraine's air force data.
In a second wave of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, Russia hit Vasylkov, Kyiv region, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Lutsk, Kalush in Ivano-Frankivsk region, and Drohobych in Lviv region.
Explosions were heard in all these locations following air alerts across Ukraine.
Lutsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv regions are all in western Ukraine in proximity to NATO borders.
Kyiv warned that Russia's actions are an escalation of the war in Ukraine
The incursion comes hours after a Russian airstrike killed 24 elderly people who were collecting pensions in a village in eastern Ukraine.
Russian troops have pressed a grinding offensive across much of the eastern Donetsk region as diplomatic efforts to achieve peace stalled.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said a guided bomb had struck the village of Yarova, about 15 miles from the city of Sloviansk, a Ukrainian stronghold, and several kilometres behind the front line.
Directly on people. Ordinary civilians. At the very moment when pensions were being disbursed,' he wrote on X alongside footage showing bodies strewn across the ground.
Twenty-four people were killed and another 19 people were wounded, the State Emergency Service said. All of the dead were elderly, said regional governor Vadym Filashkin.
'The world must not remain silent,' Zelenskiy said. 'The world must not remain idle. A response is needed from the United States. A response is needed from Europe. A response is needed from the G20.'
There is an increased security presence in Poland after Russia's drones
Russia did not immediately comment on the incursion. Moscow has denied targeting civilians, but tens of thousands have died since its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In the U..S., Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been briefed on reports of Russian drones over Poland, CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins said on Tuesday.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said repeated violations of NATO airspace by Russian drones were a sign 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,' he said on X.
Republican representative Joe Wilson, a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a post on X that Russia was 'attacking NATO ally Poland' with drones, calling it an 'act of war'.
Wilson urged U.S. President Donald Trump to respond with sanctions 'that will bankrupt the Russian war machine'.
'Putin is no longer content just losing in Ukraine while bombing mothers and babies, he is now directly testing our resolve in NATO territory,' he said.
