Poland said it shot down several Russian suicide drones after the unmanned aircraft "repeatedly violated" its airspace during an attack on Ukraine, marking the first direct engagement by Warsaw’s air defences since the Russia-Ukraine war began.
Polish authorities said the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when air defences were scrambled to intercept about ten suspected Shahed-2 drones. At least four of the devices were brought down, and the country subsequently reopened its airspace after the immediate threat subsided. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the drones "could have posed a threat" and called for an emergency meeting of European leaders in response.
The Defence Ministry and military authorities said radar systems detected multiple incursions from the direction of the conflict in Ukraine and that air defence units engaged to protect Polish territory. Officials did not report casualties or damage on Polish soil. Warsaw notified allied capitals, and domestic authorities temporarily restricted civilian air traffic in the affected areas before lifting the measures.
Shahed-type loitering munitions, often described as "suicide drones," have been used repeatedly in attacks inside Ukraine. Poland’s account of the incident said the devices crossed into Polish airspace amid a larger barrage targeting Ukrainian infrastructure and positions. Polish forces have until now largely avoided direct confrontation with Russian forces as they have provided extensive military, humanitarian and logistical support to Ukraine.
Observers said the event signals a significant escalation in the risk of spillover from strikes on Ukraine into neighbouring NATO territory, but Polish officials emphasised the engagement was limited to defensive actions within their national airspace. Tusk’s call for an emergency meeting aims to coordinate a European response and assess risks to allied airspace and civilians.
NATO members, which include Poland, view incursions into alliance airspace with heightened concern because of collective-defence commitments, but there was no immediate indication that the incident triggered any alliance-wide military response. NATO spokespeople said they were monitoring the situation closely and in contact with Polish authorities.
The skirmish came as Kyiv continues to face a sustained campaign of aerial attacks. Poland’s interception of the drones underscores both the proximity of fighting to NATO borders and the challenges of preventing inadvertent escalation. Warsaw has maintained that it will defend its sovereignty while coordinating closely with European and transatlantic partners.
Polish officials said investigations into the flights of the drones and the precise circumstances of the airspace violations would continue. Authorities also reiterated calls for strengthened air-defence cooperation among European states to reduce the risk of future cross-border incursions.