Nato is reinforcing its eastern borders after Poland reported an unprecedented violation of its airspace by Russian drones. In the early hours of Wednesday, three drones were shot down after entering Polish territory, while others crashed and were later recovered across eastern Poland.
The incident has raised alarms across the alliance and prompted a swift military response.
Poland has requested an emergency UN Security Council session, scheduled for Friday at 19:00 GMT, to address what it called an extraordinary breach of sovereignty.
In response, several Nato members are deploying troops, artillery, and air defence systems to bolster the region.
The Netherlands and the Czech Republic confirmed they would send military reinforcements to Poland, while Germany said it would "intensify its engagement along Nato's eastern border" and extend air patrols over Polish skies. Lithuania is also set to receive a German brigade and enhanced early warning systems against potential Russian attacks on Ukraine.
France announced that it would deploy three Rafale fighter jets to help protect Polish airspace. President Emmanuel Macron said, "We will not yield to Russia's growing intimidation."
In Washington, US President Donald Trump, who has sought unsuccessfully to broker a pause in the Ukraine conflict, suggested the drone incursion could have been accidental. "I'm not happy about anything to do with the whole situation, but hopefully that's going to come to an end," he said.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told parliament that the Dutch would send air defence systems, artillery, and 300 troops, while the Czechs would provide helicopters and 100 soldiers. He also noted that France and the United Kingdom could deploy aircraft to secure Nato's eastern flank. "Poland has repeatedly heard words of solidarity and empty gestures throughout its history," he said. "Today, we have concrete declarations."
While Russian drones and missiles have crossed into Nato countries before, this is considered the most serious incident since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin declined further comment on whether the flights were intentional, but many European leaders view the move as deliberate.
"This Russian provocation...is nothing more than an attempt to test our capabilities," Polish President Karol Nawrocki said, echoing concerns from Germany and France. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the episode as a "large-scale provocation" by Russia.
Nato’s top military commander, Alexus Grynkewich, cautioned that it is still unclear if the intrusion was intentional, and the exact number of drones that crossed into Polish airspace has yet to be confirmed.
In response to heightened tensions, Warsaw plans to restrict drones and small aircraft along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine. Latvia has announced the temporary closure of its eastern airspace for one week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to provide training to Western military officials on countering Russian aerial threats and called for a joint air defence system to protect Europe from further incursions.
The situation is further complicated by major joint military exercises between Belarus and Russia, known as Zapad 2025, which are set to begin on Friday. Poland plans to close its border with Belarus at midnight on Thursday for "national security reasons... in connection with the Zapad manoeuvres," describing the drills as "very aggressive." Russia has urged Poland to reopen the border, warning of economic and mobility consequences. "We call on Warsaw to think about the consequences of such destructive steps and reconsider the decision as soon as possible," said Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
This year’s Zapad exercises are expected to involve up to 30,000 troops, significantly smaller than the 200,000 who took part in previous drills before the war in Ukraine.
Trump’s reaction to the drone incidents has been limited. On Wednesday, he posted on social media: "What's with Russia violating Poland's airspace with drones? Here we go!" without further details. Polish President Nawrocki said that he and Trump have been in ongoing consultations with Nato allies, affirming the unity of the alliance.
