Polish authorities reported that Russian drones entered NATO-member Poland's airspace repeatedly during a Russian attack on Ukraine. Poland's armed forces operation command stated that the airspace was violated by drone-type objects, urging residents in affected regions to stay indoors. The military operation is ongoing, with the most threatened areas being Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lubelskie provinces.
In response, Poland scrambled its own and NATO warplanes, placed air defences and radar on high alert, and temporarily closed some airports. Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk confirmed that an operation to neutralise objects crossing the border was underway. Ukraine had earlier warned about the drones.
The incident coincided with an announcement by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that Poland will close its border with Belarus on Thursday due to 'very aggressive' Zapad military exercises conducted by Belarus and Russia, and escalating provocations. President Karol Nawrocki expressed distrust in Vladimir Putin's intentions, warning that Putin is ready to invade other countries.
In other developments, US Senator Richard Blumenthal urged Congress and President Trump to adopt a bipartisan bill imposing secondary sanctions on countries buying Russian oil, such as China, India, and Brazil. Trump indicated readiness to impose further sanctions but wants EU to act simultaneously. Separately, a Russian strike killed 24 elderly people collecting pensions in the Donetsk region, prompting a war crime investigation by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, members of the European Parliament accidentally passed an amendment criticising the EU's 'militaristic strategy' in Ukraine, a mistake that pleased populist groups like Italy's Five Star Movement.
