Poland shoots down Russian drones in its airspace for the first time, accuses Moscow of ‘act of aggression’
Poland’s military said early Wednesday that it had shot down drones that violated its airspace during a Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine, the first time it has taken such a step in what is a major provocation for Europe and NATO.
Addressing the country’s parliament, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were 19 intrusions of its airspace, and that a “large proportion” of the drones entered it from Belarus.
He announced that Poland has invoked Article 4 of NATO, meaning the alliance’s main political decision-making body will meet to discuss the situation and its next steps.
Tusk called the incident an “unprecedented violation of (its) airspace” and said it lasted all night – from just before midnight local time on Tuesday until 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
(Jakub Orzechowski/Agencja Wybo/Reuters)
Poland’s military said early Wednesday that it had shot down drones that violated its airspace during a Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine, the first time it has taken such a step in what is a major provocation for Europe and NATO.
Addressing the country’s parliament, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were 19 intrusions of its airspace, and that a “large proportion” of the drones entered it from Belarus.
He announced that Poland has invoked Article 4 of NATO, meaning the alliance’s main political decision-making body will meet to discuss the situation and its next steps.
Tusk called the incident an “unprecedented violation of (its) airspace” and said it lasted all night – from just before midnight local time on Tuesday until 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
