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September 2025 Russian drone incursion into Poland

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September 2025 Russian drone incursion into Poland
Part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
A Gerbera-type drone such as those used in the Russian incursion into Polish air space
Date9–10 September 2025
Time23:30–06:45 (CEST)
Duration7 hours 15 minutes
LocationEastern Poland
TypeIntentional airspace violation by military drones
MotiveUnknown
Outcome
Countries involved Poland
Russia

On 9 September 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m. CEST (UTC+02:00),[3] at least 19[4] to 23 military drones entered Polish airspace after being launched from the Russian Federation. At least eight[5] were shot down by the Polish Air Force, and NATO Quick Reaction Alert aircraft scrambled.[6][3][7] The airspace over Warsaw International Airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport, Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport, and Lublin Airport was closed while the Russian drone fleet was in Polish airspace.[8][9] Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the drones which "posed a direct threat" had been shot down.[4] The Polish government has requested Article 4 consultations with NATO,[4] and Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Bluesky of the affair that "We are dealing with an unprecedented case of an attack not only on the territory of Poland but also on the territory of NATO and the EU" (sic).[10] The majority of the drones shot down were done so by the Dutch Air Force.

Incursion and defence

According to Rzeczpospolita, the number of Russian drones was around 23;[2] they entered Poland via Belarus.[11]

Several NATO countries also took part in the operation to shoot down the drones, aiding the Polish F-16s. The deployment included Dutch F-35 Lightning II, Italian airborne early warning and control aircraft,[12] and a NATO-operated aerial tanker. German MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air systems in Poland were placed on high alert as well.[13] Most drones were shot down by Dutch F-35 aircraft.[2][14] The last shoot-down occurred at 06:45 CEST.[15] These actions mark the first time Poland, and perforce NATO, have engaged and downed Russian assets in its airspace,[16][16][17]

Locations of drones and debris included several near the Polish eastern border (Cześniki, Czosnówka, Krzywowierzba-Kolonia, Wielki Łan, Wohyń, Wyhalew, and Wyryki-Kolonia), as well as a field near Mniszków in central Poland,[15] and Oleśno in northern Poland.[18][19] One of the drones struck a residential building in Wyryki-Kolonia, Lublin Voivodeship.[20]

Locations of Drones
Cześniki
Cześniki
Czosnówka
Czosnówka
Krzywowierzba-Kolonia
Krzywowierzba-Kolonia
Wielki Łan
Wielki Łan
Wohyń
Wohyń
Wyhalew
Wyhalew
Wyryki-Kolonia
Wyryki-Kolonia
Mniszków
Mniszków
Oleśno
Oleśno
Kaliningrad (Russia)
Ukraine
class=notpageimage|
Locations of downed UAVs and associated debris

Analysis

At least some of the drones used in the incursion were of the Gerbera type.[21] According to two analysts quoted by BBC Verify (Justin Bronk of RUSI and Justin Crump of the risk and intelligence company Sibylline), "...the scale of the incursion suggests it was almost certainly a deliberate act on Russia's part."[21]

Following the 9–10 September incursion, Rzeczpospolita stated that modernisation of the "SkyCTRL" anti-drone system in Poland had been delayed for eighteen months by the Polish Ministry of Defence (MON) due to lack of funds, and that the system was effectively inactive. Rzeczpospolita stated its expectation that MON would find the needed funding, but that several months would be needed for implementation.[2]

Reactions

  •  Italy – Prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed full solidarity with Poland for the "serious and unacceptable violation" of its airspace.[34]
  •  Belgium – Defense minister Theo Francken said "Russian violations of NATO airspace are unacceptable". He also expressed solidarity and support with Poland.[35]
  •  France – President Emmanuel Macron called the incursion 'unacceptable'.[25]
  •  Finland – Prime minister Petteri Orpo condemned Russia's actions and expressed "full support to Poland."[36]
  •  Germany – Defense minister Boris Pistorius said "These drones were quite obviously deliberately directed on this course—in order to fly into Ukraine". He also expressed support for Poland's requested Article 4 consultations.[37]
  •  Romania – President Nicușor Dan and defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu both declared that Romania stands in full solidarity with Poland. President Dan further added that "Russia must be stopped and pressured to come to the negotiation table".[38] Romania also had to scramble fighter jets to monitor a group of Russian drones near its border, though no drones entered Romanian airspace.[39]
  •  European Union – President Ursula von der Leyen stated the EU stands "in full solidarity with Poland".[25]
  •  Hungary – Prime minister Viktor Orbán expressed full solidarity with Poland, calling the violation of Poland's territorial integrity "unacceptable".[40]
  •  United States – Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said "We stand by our [NATO] Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory."[41]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Italy provided early warning aicraft.
  2. ^ Germany utilised Patriot systems.
  3. ^ The Netherlands contributed F-35 fighters, originally stationed in Estonia, and shot down the majority of the drones.

References

  1. ^ "Debris of seven Russian drones and parts of a missile found in Poland". TVP World. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Maciej Miłosz (10 September 2025). "Rosyjskich dronów było ponad 20. Strzelały głównie holenderskie F-35" [There were more than 20 Russian drones. They were mainly shot by Dutch F-35s]. Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). ISSN 0208-9130. Wikidata Q136203730. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Poland calls NATO meeting after downing Russian drones". DW.com. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Poland shoots down Russian drones after 'huge number' violated airspace, PM says - live updates". BBC News. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Poland Downs Russian Drones, NATO on High Alert". tovima.com. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Poland Shoots Down Russian "Shahed" Drones as NATO Jets Scramble". Yeshiva World News. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  7. ^ Charlish, Alan; Kelly, Lidia (9 September 2025). "Poland Shoots Down Drones in Its Airspace During Russia's Ukraine Attack, Calls Violation Act of Aggression". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  8. ^ Lendon, Brad; Yee, Isaac; Subkhanberdina, Nina (10 September 2025). "Poland says it has shot down drones that entered its airspace during Russian attack on Ukraine". CNN. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Poland shoots down Russian drones in its airspace for the first time, accuses Moscow of 'act of aggression'". CNN. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  10. ^ "@radek-sikorski.bsky.social on Bluesky".
  11. ^ "Z prezydentem jesteśmy jak jedna pięść. Polska ma jednego wroga, na Wschodzie [Tusk słowo w słowo]" [We're with the president like a single fist. Poland has just one enemy, in the East [Tusk, word for word]]. OKO.press (in Polish). 10 September 2025. Wikidata Q136205131. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025.
  12. ^ Dumbacher, Liana Fix,Erin D. "Russia Tests NATO With Poland Drone Breach | Council on Foreign Relations". www.cfr.org.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "NATO Fighters Shoot Down Russian Drones Over Poland". airandspaceforces.com. 10 September 2025.
  14. ^ "Poland hits drones in its airspace as Russia attacks Ukraine – DW – 09/10/2025". dw.com. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  15. ^ a b Olena Goncharova; Marcin Fornusek (10 September 2025). "In first for NATO, Poland downs Russian drones amid mass attack on Ukraine as Putin 'testing the West'". The Kyiv Independent. Wikidata Q136203960. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025.
  16. ^ a b "'What's with Russia violating Polish airspace?' - Trump reacts to Moscow drone incursion on Nato ally". BBC News.
  17. ^ Walker, Shaun; Sabbagh, Dan; Krupa, Jakub; Sauer, Pjotr (10 September 2025). "Poland 'closer to military conflict than at any time since WW2' as Nato allies weigh response to Russian drones" – via The Guardian.
  18. ^ "MSWiA: znaleziono szczątki siedmiu dronów i pocisku niewiadomego pochodzenia" (in Polish). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  19. ^ "Szczątki drona odkryte w Wielkim Łanie na Lubelszczyźnie". Wirtualna Polska (in Polish). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  20. ^ "Drone-like object struck a residential building in eastern Poland, mayor says". reuters.com. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  21. ^ a b Murphy, Matt. "Analysts identify images of drones used in Polish incursion". BBC News. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  22. ^ "Poland Requests NATO Article 4 Activation Following Russian Drone Incursion". Ukraine news - #Mezha. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  23. ^ "Poland on high alert after shooting down Russian drones in its airspace". CBC. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  24. ^ "Ukraine's Zelenskiy says at least eight drones targeted Poland during Russian attack". Reuters. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  25. ^ a b c "Poland calls NATO meeting after downing Russian drones – DW – 09/10/2025". dw.com. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  26. ^ ""Konkretne deklaracje" sojuszników. Szef MON: wzmocnienie w kilkadziesiąt godzin". tvn24.pl. 10 September 2025.
  27. ^ "Poland hit by Russian drones: Sweden to send air defenses and aircraft | Censor.NET".
  28. ^ "@noelreports.com on Bluesky".
  29. ^ "@osintr.bsky.social on Bluesky".
  30. ^ "Poland hit by Russian drones: Sweden to send air defenses and aircraft | Censor.NET".
  31. ^ ""Konkretne deklaracje" sojuszników. Szef MON: wzmocnienie w kilkadziesiąt godzin". tvn24.pl (in Polish). 10 September 2025.
  32. ^ "UK fires warning shot to Putin and says Poland airspace breach has 'united' Nato". The Independent. 10 September 2025.
  33. ^ "Healey asks military to look at how UK can help bolster Polish defences". The Independent. 10 September 2025.
  34. ^ "Violazione dello spazio aereo polacco, la dichiarazione del Presidente Meloni" [Violation of Polish airspace, President Meloni’s declaration]. www.governo.it (in Italian). 10 September 2025. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  35. ^ NWS, VRT (17 August 2025). "Oorlog in Oekraïne - Zelensky betreurt "gebrek aan actie van het Westen" nadat Russische drones in Polen onderschept werden | VRT NWS: nieuws". VRTNWS (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  36. ^ "Orpo eduskunnalle: Annamme täyden tukemme Puolalle, Naton 4. artiklan aktivointi perusteltua". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  37. ^ "Germany: Russian drones deliberately violated Polish airspace". Newsweek. 20 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  38. ^ "Romanian President Nicusor Dan: Russia Must Be Stopped After Drone Incursion". romaniajournal.ro. 10 September 2025.
  39. ^ "NATO downs Russian drones over Poland after 'unprecedented' aggression". ABC News. 10 September 2025.
  40. ^ "Hungary's Viktor Orbán's rare show of solidarity with Poland rebuffed by Warsaw". Euronews. 10 September 2025.
  41. ^ "U.S. Ambassador to NATO on X". X. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  42. ^ "@realDonaldTrump on Truth Social". Truth Social. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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