Poland Invokes NATO Article 4 After Shooting Down Russian Drones Engaged in ‘Unprecedented Violation’
A large number of russian drones crossed into Polish airspace overnight, prompting Poland to invoke Article 4 of NATO, which calls for consultations among alliance members. Teh polish government described the incursions as an unprecedented act of aggression that threatened citizen safety. Polish forces, together with allied assets, tracked and shot down several drones. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that while this does not mean war is imminent, a notable boundary has been crossed, marking the closest the region has come to open conflict since world War II. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the incident as a reckless provocation. European leaders, including Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, rejected claims that the drones’ entry was accidental, asserting the incursions were deliberate. The U.S. Ambassador to NATO reaffirmed support for Poland, pledging to defend NATO territory. The situation remains serious as investigations continue to locate drone crash sites and NATO allies weigh their response.
Russian drones invaded Polish airspace overnight Tuesday, causing Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO alliance.
“As a result of attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory, there was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects,” the Polish government posted on X.
“This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens. On the order of the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, defensive procedures were immediately activated. Polish and allied assets radar-tracked several objects, and the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces made decisions to neutralize those that could pose a threat,” a translation of the post said.
Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down. I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) September 10, 2025
“Some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Efforts are underway to search for and locate the possible crash sites of these objects,” the post said.
NATO is now involved, Polish Premier Donald Tusk posted to X.
“Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down. I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies,” he wrote.
“I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed,” Tusk said, according to NBC. “This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”
Map showing reported Russian drone incursions into Poland. Does not look random (14 drones): It looks like a deliberate attempt by fascist Russia to test NATO air defenses over a part of Polish territory used as a transit point for Western aid to democratic Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/9mSafIV0gB
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) September 10, 2025
Tusk said Poland invoked Article 4 of NATO, which means its political decision-making group will meet to decide what the alliance does in response, if anything, according to CNN.
NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte said the incident was “absolutely reckless” and not an “isolated incident.”
“We are most likely dealing with a large-scale provocation,” Tusk said of the 19 drones, adding that the “situation is serious” and Poland was “ready to repel” an attack.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, one of the many European leaders to condemn the incident, rejected claims the drones crossed into Poland by accident, according to Newsweek.
“There are definitely no grounds to assume that this was due to course correction errors,” Pistorius said. “These drones were quite obviously deliberately directed on this course — in order to fly into Ukraine.”
Russia is attacking NATO ally Poland with Iranian shahed drones less than a week after President Trump hosted President Nawrocki at the White House. This is an act of war, and we are grateful to NATO allies for their swift response to war criminal Putin’s continued unprovoked…
— Joe Wilson (@RepJoeWilson) September 10, 2025
In a post on X, Matthew Whittaker, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, wrote, “We stand by our [NATO] Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
As of 8:30 a.m. ET, President Donald Trump, who has sought to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, had not made any public comment on the incident
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