Poland and NATO forces shot down multiple drones that entered Polish airspace during an overnight attack linked to strikes on neighboring Ukraine, prompting Poland to invoke NATO’s Article 4 and triggering allied military responses, officials said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament on Wednesday that at least 19 drones entered Polish airspace and that eight crash sites had been confirmed where aircraft appear to have been shot down by NATO forces. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said a full assessment of the incident was under way and described the violation as part of a pattern of incidents in recent months in which drones have crossed allied borders.
Allied forces scrambled to defend Polish airspace, officials said. Rutte said Polish warplanes were scrambled and that Dutch F-35s, Italian airborne warning-and-control aircraft, a NATO multi-role tanker transport for refueling and German Patriot air defenses were activated and successfully defended NATO territory. U.S. Army Col. Martin L. O’Donnell, a spokesperson for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, said it was the first time NATO planes had engaged potential threats in allied airspace.
The Kremlin denied the drones were of Russian origin. Andrei Ordash, Moscow’s top diplomat in Poland, told Russian state media the accusations were groundless and said the drones had been flying from the direction of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, said at least two Russian drones that entered Polish territory during the night used Belarusian airspace, and that several dozen Russian drones had been operating along the Ukraine-Belarus border and in western regions of Ukraine.
Poland formally summoned Andrei Ordash, the Russian diplomat, and NATO leaders held urgent talks after Warsaw enacted Article 4, a mechanism that triggers consultations when a member believes its territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened. Rutte said allied leaders met on Wednesday morning to review the situation and to coordinate a response.
Tusk described the incident as "a large-scale provocation," saying the situation was serious and that Poland must prepare for various scenarios. A White House official told reporters that President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials were tracking the reports from Poland and that plans were in place for Trump to speak with Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
Polish authorities reported damage to civilian property in eastern regions near the Ukrainian border and deployed soldiers to patrol affected areas. Local officials provided images of a damaged residential building in Wyryki municipality following what they described as violations of Polish airspace during the Ukrainian conflict.
NATO officials emphasized that allied forces are committed to defending every kilometre of NATO territory, including airspace, and said joint command structures coordinated the defensive response overnight. The alliance said it had successfully ensured the defense of NATO territory during the operation.
Information on the precise number and origin of the drones remained incomplete as allied and national authorities continued collecting data. Officials cautioned that assessments were ongoing and that details could change as investigators reviewed radar tracks, recovered wreckage and other intelligence.
The incident comes amid sustained hostilities in Ukraine and a series of prior episodes in which drones and other aerial systems operated near or across NATO borders. NATO leaders said the latest violation underscored the need for vigilance and coordination among allies.
Investigations and consultations among Polish and allied authorities are expected to continue, with NATO and Warsaw briefing member states on findings as they become available.