Poland says it shot down Russian drones in its airspace
According to the Polish Ministry of Defense, Polish and NATO forces have shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace. The incident, which took place over several hours, is considered a major escalation and has led to an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Here are the key details:
Scale of the Incursion: Polish officials stated they detected up to 19 violations of their airspace. This marks the most significant incursion into NATO territory since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Response: Polish F-16s, along with Dutch F-35s and Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft, were scrambled to respond. NATO air defense systems were also placed on high alert.
Result: At least four drones were shot down, with some fragments landing deep inside Polish territory. While a building was damaged, there were no reported casualties. The drones were reportedly unarmed, leading some Polish officials to believe it was a deliberate test of NATO's air defenses.
International Reaction: Polish and other European leaders have condemned the event as a deliberate provocation by Russia, though Russia has denied that its drones intentionally entered Polish airspace. NATO has since announced it will be deploying more jets to its eastern flank to protect against future attacks.