The appearance of drones over Poland on September 10 has triggered a wave of international reactions, ranging from Warsaw’s accusations against Moscow to NATO’s refusal to classify the event as an attack. The European Union, meanwhile, has called for tougher sanctions against Russia.
Poland Raises Alarm
Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed that Poland’s airspace was violated overnight, describing the incident as an “act of aggression” that endangered civilians. Without providing evidence, he alleged that the drones were Russian. President Karol Nawrocki called the episode “an unprecedented moment in NATO and Poland’s history” and announced an emergency National Security Council meeting within 48 hours.
Tusk confirmed Warsaw will invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty, requesting greater air defense and allied support along Poland’s eastern border. He accused Moscow of declaring “a confrontation with the world.” Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, dismissed the accusations as baseless, noting that Poland had provided no proof.
Belarus Calls Them 'Stray Drones'
Belarusian Chief of Staff Pavel Muraveyko said some of the drones were shot down over Belarusian territory, describing them as “stray.” He added that Belarus coordinated its air defense response with Polish and Lithuanian forces, warning them of the drones’ approach.
EU Pushes for Tougher Sanctions
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged tougher sanctions on Russia, including a faster phase-out of fossil fuel imports and restrictions on Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet.” She pledged €6 billion for a “drone alliance” with Ukraine and floated using frozen Russian assets to fund Kyiv’s military. “Europe stands fully in solidarity with Poland,” she said.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident unacceptable, vowing that France “will not compromise on the security of our allies.”
NATO Downplays the Incident
According to a NATO source cited by Reuters, the alliance does not classify the drone intrusion as an attack. Initial signs reportedly pointed to “a deliberate incursion of six to ten Russian drones,” with Poland scrambling F-16s, supported by Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS, and NATO air tankers.
Russian and Domestic Reactions
Russian officials rejected the Polish claims. Moscow city council member Andrei Medvedev called the incident a provocation designed to influence U.S. policy toward Russia, warning of more such staged events. State Duma deputy Aleksei Chepa suggested the drones could have strayed due to technical error or been part of a Ukrainian provocation to push NATO into deeper involvement.
“We consider the accusations groundless. No evidence has been presented that these drones were of Russian origin,” said Andrei Ordash, Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Poland.
Federation Council foreign affairs chairman Grigory Karasin questioned Warsaw’s credibility, calling the claims “panic-inducing statements without facts” and accusing Ukraine of exploiting the situation. He said the narrative reflected “anti-Russian hysteria.”
