Key Points and Summary – Russia’s overnight barrage on Ukraine spilled into NATO airspace as several drones crossed from Belarus into Poland, triggering interceptions, airport closures, and a multinational air patrol.
-Warsaw reports multiple downings and invoked NATO’s Article 4 for urgent consultations.
Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35 Lighting II fighters fly in formation with Polish Air Force MiG-29 Fulcrums during a training sortie over Poland on 21 March 2023.
-EU leaders called the incursions a deliberate probe of Alliance resolve, while Secretary General Mark Rutte praised the swift response by Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS, and other assets. Debris was found across several provinces.
-The episode heightens risk along NATO’s eastern flank and pressures Washington and European capitals to decide next steps—deterrence, sanctions, and air-defense posture among them.
Russian Drones Over Poland: Here’s What Just Happened
During a massive Russian strike against Ukraine, which saw more than 415 drones and over 40 missiles deployed across 15 regions, several drones entered Polish airspace.
The news prompted widespread concern that Russian forces were deliberately entering NATO airspace.
At least two drones were confirmed crossing into Polish airspace from Belarus on the night of September 9 into the early hours of September 10.
Reports from the morning of September 10 described how Poland shot down drones that entered its airspace during the Russian attack – the first time a NATO member state has directly fired at Russian military assets since the outbreak of the invasion.
Speaking to parliament, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that he was first informed of the Russian attack at 20:06 GMT on Tuesday, September 9. He stated that the first violation of Polish airspace occurred around 21:30 that night, with the last incursion into the country’s airspace taking place at 04:30 GMT on Wednesday.
Poland scrambled its own F-16 fighter jets, alongside Dutch F-35s and Italian surveillance planes to patrol the skies.
Polish officials confirmed that three drones were downed, with the last interception taking place at 04:45 GMT. One additional drone is understood to have been destroyed.
Some reports have suggested that around 19 Russian military drones entered Poland, with at least eight shot down by NATO and Polish Air Force jets.
European Union officials and European leaders expressed their uniform anger over the situation – and while many acknowledged that the incidents were likely unintentional, some have suggested that it was a deliberate attempt by Moscow to “test” NATO.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters that Moscow is “escalating, not ending” the war in Ukraine, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention is to “test”: Europe.
“What happened in Poland is a game changer,” Kallas also said, adding that it should result in stronger sanctions against Russia.
That sentiment was echoed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who told parliament on Wednesday that there are “definitely no grounds to suspect that this was a course correction mistake or the like,” adding that “these drones were very clearly put on this course deliberately.”
The incident saw airports across eastern and central Poland – including Warsaw Chopin, Modlin, Rzeszow-Jasionka, and Lublin – closed to civilian travellers.
What Happened the Next Day: Article 4 Time
NATO and Polish operations continued through the early hours. Debris from several drones and parts of a missile were found across multiple provinces, including Lodz, and central and eastern Poland.
The day after the incident, Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, calling for consultations among member states. Talks were held among NATO allies to determine the cause of the incursions and a collective response. The consultations took place at NATO headquarters – and Prime Minister Tusk said that they took place under Article 4 of the NATO treaty. The shortest of the 14 articles, Article 4 specifies that member states “will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.”
Article 5 Next?
Discussions under Article 4 are effectively a precursor to Article 5, which compels member states to take action in the event that a NATO state is threatened by a non-member state. Poland has previously requested Article 4 consultations when Russian missiles entered its airspace. In March, 2014, Poland invoked Article 4 following Russian aggression in neighboring Ukraine. However, like then, the decision to invoke Article 4 does not necessarily mean that Article 5 will be triggered. Instead, the decision simply means that NATO countries’ ambassadors will discuss the incursion and determine whether it constitutes a threat.
As of Wednesday afternoon, NATO member states are awaiting a response from U.S. President Donald Trump over the incursion. The president issued his first public response to the incursion in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
“What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!” the president said.
And while the U.S. has yet to provide an official response, the world also awaits comments from Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has so far refused to comment, instead referring reporters to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
Following the emergency meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a statement in support of Poland and condemned Russia for the airspace violation, describing the incident as “reckless behavior.”
“Last night, numerous drones from Russia violated Polish airspace. Our air defenses were activated and successfully ensured the defense of NATO territory, as they are designed to do. Several Allies were involved alongside Poland. This included Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS, NATO Multi Role Tanker Transport, and German Patriots,” Rutte said.
“I commend the pilots and all who contributed to this quick and skillful response. The North Atlantic Council met this morning and discussed the situation in light of Poland’s request for consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. Allies expressed solidarity with Poland and denounced Russia’s reckless behaviour.”
Rutte also said it was clear that the incident is not an isolated one.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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Swamplaw Yankee
September 10, 2025 at 3:43 pm
What is this? Some Brit waking up and using the power of the USA Constitution to blab all to the Yankee inner beltway! Where are all the French-style laws to stop such “incinderary ” Free Speech?
Hey, Britain, the “LONG GAME” is on. D PRC CCP Xi regime depleted any missile/drone reserve the Yankee had in it’s 12 day “training wheels” kindergarden defence against Israel.
For a few years, I speculated when the Xi regime would manufacture for FREE the volume of missiles to keep Zi’s vassal, tsarling Putin, at the missile per minute per hour per 24/7 for a month.
How close did POTUS Trump allow Xi to get?