Bloomberg: After Russian drone invasion, Poland asks NATO for more air defense systems

After Russian drones invaded Polish airspace, the country turned to NATO for additional air defense systems and counter-drone technology.

Bloomberg writes about this, citing its own sources.

According to them, Poland is already holding closed consultations with NATO partners regarding additional assistance.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said the country needs Patriot systems because drones are not the only threat from Russia. He said Poland also needs a “wall against drones”.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that he had received specific proposals to strengthen the Polish air defense system from the leaders of France, Great Britain, Ukraine, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

However, Bloomberg emphasizes that it may be difficult for allies to supply Poland with more advanced air defense systems, such as Patriot. German Deputy Defense Minister Jens Plöttner noted that Ukraine needs these systems most now. However, according to him, this does not mean abdicating responsibility for NATOʼs defense.

Russian drones shot down over Poland for the first time

During Russiaʼs attack on Ukraine on the night of September 10, drones flew into Poland — weapons from aircraft were used against them. This is the first time that Polish aviation has shot down drones that violated the countryʼs airspace.

According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at least 8 UAVs crossed the state border of Ukraine towards Poland.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Polish airspace had been violated at least 19 times. For the first time, the drones flew not from Ukraine, "due to mistakes or minor Russian provocations", but from the territory of Belarus. Polish authorities called the incident "an act of aggression".

Polish publication Polsat News writes that in Wyryki (Lublin Voivodeship) debris from one of the drones hit a residential building and damaged the roof of the building and a car. No people were injured.

Polish Interior Ministry spokeswoman Karolina Galecka says that as of 11:00 a.m., wreckage of seven drones and missiles of "unknown origin" had already been found, and 16 Russian drones were later discovered.

Reuters, citing a NATO source, wrote that the Alliance does not consider the drone incursion into Polish territory as an attack.

Due to the Russian drone incursion into Poland, NATO activated Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It stipulates that Alliance member states can initiate consultations when, in their opinion, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any member is threatened.

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