As Russia intensifies airstrikes against Ukraine, tensions rose after Poland, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member, shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace.
According to Reuters and others, the Polish military said on the 10th (local time) that it had shot down some Russian drones that entered its airspace and was searching the debris crash sites. The military authorities urged residents to stay at home until the search is completed.
The Polish military condemned the incursion as an act that occurred during Russia's drone attacks on Ukraine and said it was "an act that poses a real threat to public safety." Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he is in close consultation with the president, the defense minister, and the military leadership, and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said he is also in urgent communication with NATO command.
Major airports, including Warsaw Chopin Airport, were temporarily closed due to the incident. Local outlets reported that fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian-made "Shahed" drones.
The Ukrainian Air Force initially said that Russian drones had violated Polish airspace and threatened the city of Zamość, but soon deleted the statement. In the early hours of the day, air-raid alerts sounded for hours across the west of Ukraine, including Lviv and Volyn.
The BBC reported that this is the first time since the war began that Poland has directly intervened in the Ukraine war through the use of force such as shooting down drones. NATO members have maintained extreme caution, noting that a direct clash with Russia could quickly escalate into a full-scale war.
Poland borders Belarus, Russia's key ally, and adjoins Ukraine to the south, making it a country of high geopolitical tension. Given NATO's collective defense system, under which an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all, concerns are growing that this incident could escalate into a wider war.