Poland is increasing security along its border with Ukraine following a series of Russian drone strikes that came close to its territory. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Moscow appears set to intensify its campaign against Ukraine's borders with European countries.
These developments occur as Ukraine faces mounting pressure from Russia's escalating air campaign, which utilizes ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.
Tusk warned that the coming weeks and months would see intensified Russian actions, and that escalation could affect Polish territory. "We cannot rule out that this escalation will also affect our territory," Tusk said Sunday after a security briefing in Warsaw, echoing a similar warning from earlier in the week.
On Monday, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced via X that the Polish army had recovered what is believed to be a Russian military drone from the Baltic Sea near Jaroslawiec.
Intelligence reports, including a recent CIA briefing, indicated that Russia was likely to target border points and increase sabotage activities within European nations as a means to deter support for Ukraine. Tusk indicated he would consult with NATO allies to prepare a potential joint response.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski commented on the alliance's military capabilities, suggesting that European NATO air forces could destroy half of Russia's oil refineries rapidly in the event of Russian aggression against the alliance, even without U.S. participation.
Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk described Sunday's drone strikes as a significant escalation. He told TVN24 on Monday that any spillover into European countries could manifest as sabotage, a sharp intensification of hybrid warfare on an unprecedented scale, or other actions along NATO's borders.
The warnings followed a Sunday strike on a train near the Ukraine-Poland border, which occurred minutes after a diplomatic delegation, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, had passed through the station, according to Ukraine's state rail operator. A second strike reportedly hit near another border crossing between Poland and Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, stated Monday that the drone attacks near Poland's border were clearly intended to deter Western countries from supporting Ukraine. "We should show that we are there for Ukraine and we are not scared," she said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, when asked about the strike on the train, stated that Russian forces were operating and would continue to operate "across the entire territory of Ukraine." Peskov also noted the potential role of Global South nations in a settlement and mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed willingness to help broker a settlement.
Peskov addressed calls for Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities, saying, "Any call on the Kyiv regime to stop strikes on civilian economic infrastructure can only be welcomed." This comment followed remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries and diesel production infrastructure, citing global shortages and record-high diesel prices in the U.S.