Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has issued a strong warning that his country will respond firmly to any violation of its airspace, following repeated incidents involving Russian drones and military aircraft in the region. Speaking at a press conference in Sierakowice, Tusk stated that the Polish government is prepared to authorize the downing of any flying object that enters national territory and poses a direct threat to the country’s security.
“There is no discussion about this,” the prime minister stressed, making clear that Warsaw will not tolerate further provocations. However, Tusk clarified that in ambiguous or less clear situations, authorities must proceed with caution, carefully evaluating each move to avoid an unnecessary escalation of the conflict. His remarks came after an incident last Friday, when two Russian fighter jets flew at low altitude near a Polish oil platform in the Baltic Sea without formally crossing the border.
The episode sparked alarm in Poland and among its allies, who interpreted the maneuver as a sign of military pressure from Moscow. Russian incursions into European airspace have caused growing concern within NATO, which views such actions as part of a broader pattern of provocations. Estonia recently reported that three Russian fighter jets entered its airspace for about twelve minutes, an accusation Moscow denied, insisting that its MiG-31 jets were flying over neutral waters en route to Kaliningrad and did not deviate from the agreed path.
Adding to the tension, several drones crossed into Poland, NATO territory, during a massive Russian airstrike on Ukraine on the night of September 10. The Polish Air Force, together with other allied units, intercepted and shot down some of the drones, fragments of which—at least 18—were later found in various areas across eastern and central Poland. Authorities confirmed that none of the drones had been armed, but the Polish government stressed that their mere intrusion represents an unacceptable threat to the country’s sovereignty and national security.
