On the morning of September 10, the Polish military reported what it described as an “unprecedented” violation of the country’s airspace by Russian drones. The military said the incident was an act of aggression posing a real threat to civilian safety.
Estimates of how many drones crossed into Poland vary. According to accounts cited from the Ukrainian Air Force, Reuters sources, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and local media, the number ranged from eight to 23 UAVs.
After the alert was raised, Poland scrambled fighter jets. Some of the Russian drones were reportedly shot down.
Polish media said debris from one drone fell onto a residential house in the village of Wyryki in the Lublin Voivodeship. Fragments were also found in the locality of Czosnowka, according to Polish radio station Rmf24.
Tusk said the drones were Russian and called the incident a provocation by Russia.
Later in the day, NATO activated Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty at Poland’s request. The mechanism provides for consultations among member states when they believe the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of one of them is under threat.