Polish armed forces were forced to scramble fighter jets in the early hours of Sunday after confirming that Russian-launched drones had breached the country's airspace during a major assault on Ukraine. The incident, which lasted for around 40 minutes, has triggered a major security alert amongst NATO allies.
The breach occurred as Russia launched one of its largest drone attacks of the war, targeting critical infrastructure in the western Ukrainian region of Lviv, close to the Polish border. The Polish Army Operational Command stated that all necessary procedures to safeguard the nation's airspace were immediately activated.
A Pattern of Provocation
This is not an isolated event. The Polish defence ministry has reported that one of the Russian drones penetrated approximately 25 miles into Polish territory near the town of Oserdów. This alarming violation marks the latest in a series of incidents that have seen missiles and drones from the Ukraine conflict stray into NATO airspace, raising fears of a potential escalation.
"The Polish military is continuously monitoring the situation on Ukrainian territory and remains on permanent readiness to ensure the security of Polish airspace," a military statement assured.
NATO's Delicate Balancing Act
The repeated violations present a significant challenge for the NATO alliance. Article 5, the collective defence clause, considers an attack on one member an attack on all. While these incidents have so far been assessed as unintentional, they force a military response from the alliance and test its resolve.
Poland, a key hub for Western military aid flowing into Ukraine, has found itself on the front line of these border skirmishes. The country's authorities have vowed to demand explanations from Moscow and are likely to raise the issue at the highest levels within NATO, underscoring the ongoing threat the war poses to regional stability.
