NATO forces shot down Russian drones over Poland early Wednesday morning in what officials called the first direct military engagement between the alliance and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country’s airspace was violated by a “huge number of Russian drones” during a massive Russian attack on Ukraine. The drones posed a direct threat and were taken down by Polish and allied forces.
The incident involved 19 separate violations of Polish airspace, with at least three drones shot down by Polish F-16 jets and Dutch F-35 fighters. Italian surveillance aircraft and German Patriot missile systems also took part in the operation. One Russian drone struck a residential building in the eastern Polish village of Wyryki, causing damage but no injuries. Debris from other drones was found across several locations near Poland’s border with Ukraine and Belarus.
