WARSAW: Poland gathered its North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO) allies for pressing talks on Wednesday (Sep 10) after Russian drones flew into Polish airspace throughout an assault on Ukraine, Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned, warning that the scenario was inching nearer to “open battle”.
Poland’s airspace was violated 19 occasions, Tusk mentioned, and not less than three drones have been shot down after Warsaw and its allies scrambled jets – however authorities mentioned no person was harmed.
Footage posted by native media confirmed firefighters and police within the village of Wyryki, jap Poland, inspecting a home with its roof ripped open and particles littered close by following an impression from a drone.
Russian drones and missiles have entered the airspace of NATO members, together with Poland, a number of occasions throughout Russia’s three-and-a-half-year battle in Ukraine, however a NATO nation has by no means tried to shoot them down.
Tusk mentioned he had invoked NATO’s Article 4 underneath which any member can name pressing talks when it feels its “territorial integrity, political independence or safety” is in danger – solely the eighth time the measure has ever been used.
“This example … brings us nearer than ever to open battle since World Battle II,” Tusk advised parliament, however added there was “no motive as we speak to assert that we’re in a state of battle”.
The incident got here as Russia unleashed a barrage of strikes throughout Ukraine, together with within the western metropolis of Lviv, lower than two hours’ drive from the Polish border.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the airspace violation was a “harmful precedent” for Europe and “no accident”, and urged a robust response from Kyiv’s Western allies.
Poland’s inside ministry mentioned a home and a automobile had been broken in a single day, including that seven drones and particles from an unknown projectile had to this point been situated.
The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s predominant political decision-making physique, modified the format of its weekly assembly on Wednesday to carry it underneath Article 4 of the treaty.
A cornerstone of the Western army alliance is the precept that an assault on any member is deemed an assault on all.
NATO chief Mark Rutte hailed his organisation’s “very profitable response”, telling journalists the alliance’s air defences had performed their job.
He slammed Moscow’s “reckless behaviour” and referred to as on Putin to halt a battle that he mentioned was now being waged on civilians.
Russia’s defence ministry denied concentrating on Poland, saying they have been prepared to speak with Warsaw.
“There have been no intentions to interact any targets on the territory of Poland,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement in English, with out confirming or denying that its drones had entered Polish airspace.
