NATO responds to Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace
A Russian drone flying over Ukraine (Photo via RFE/RL)
NATO has responded to the reported incursion of a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into Polish airspace, stating there is no evidence that the act was intentional but described it as “irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
In a written statement provided to Anadolu Agency by NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah, the incident, which occurred amid Russia’s ongoing military operations against Ukraine, was addressed.
“Poland reported that its airspace was likely breached by a UAV during Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. We strongly condemn these continued assaults on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure,” Dakhlallah said.
Poland’s report on incident
Polish authorities announced that an “unidentified flying object” entered their airspace from the direction of Ukraine and that its signal later disappeared from radar. This incident occurred as Ukraine faced one of the most intense aerial assaults from Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that over 100 missiles and nearly 100 UAVs were used by Russian forces in a massive airstrike on Ukraine. Zelensky described the attack as one of the most significant against his country since the war began.
“Most likely it was a drone and we assume so, because the trajectory of the flight and the speed indicate that it was definitely not a missile,” Jacek Goryszewski, spokesperson for the Polish Army’s Operational Command told Reuters.
“The object is being searched for by 100 soldiers on the ground and one helicopter.”
In accordance with the applicable procedures, the Operational Commander of the RSZ launched all available forces and resources at his disposal in advance, the on-duty fighter pairs and helicopters were scrambled. Meanwhile, ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness.”
“From the moment it entered Polish airspace, attempts were made to visually verify the object in order to identify it before possible neutralization. Unfortunately, due to the prevailing weather conditions, it was not possible to clearly identify it, which prevented the decision to shoot it down.
Poland’s RSZ Operational Command
Previous incidents
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, fragments of Russian UAVs and missiles have been discovered on the territories of NATO countries several times.
Spokesperson Dakhlallah emphasized that while there is no information suggesting a deliberate attack by Russia on NATO allies, such actions are deemed “irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”
Dakhlallah also noted that NATO has significantly bolstered its presence on the alliance’s eastern flank, including in Poland, in response to the conflict in Ukraine.
