Poland shot down Russian drones in its airspace for first time since Ukraine war began: ‘Act of War’

September 10, 2025

Poland announced on Wednesday that multiple Russian drones had entered its airspace over several hours before being shot down with assistance from NATO allies. The Polish government described the incident as an “act of aggression,” which occurred amid a wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine.

Belarus Claims Drones Went Off Course

The Kremlin declined to comment on the matter. However, Belarus — a close Russian ally — claimed it had tracked some drones that “lost their course” due to jamming. Despite this explanation, several European leaders said they believe the breach was a deliberate escalation by Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

Polish officials said some of the drones originated from Belarus, where Russian and Belarusian troops are set to begin joint military exercises on Friday.

Largest Airspace Violation Since Ukraine War Began

While Polish airspace has been violated multiple times since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Warsaw noted that no previous incident has occurred on this scale — either in Poland or in any other NATO or EU member state along the alliance’s eastern flank.

A NATO spokesman confirmed it was the first time the alliance had faced a potential direct threat inside its airspace. NATO convened to discuss the incident, which took place just three days after Russia carried out its largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the start of the war.