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Poland’s PM Tusk says ‘huge number’ of drones entered Polish airspace during major attack on western Ukraine
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Poland is as close to conflict as it has been since the Second World War after a “huge number” of Russian drones violated its air space overnight, prime minister Donald Tusk has said.
Polish air defences and Nato aircraft sprung into action overnight after the drones its airspace during a major air attack on western Ukraine.
Mr Tusk has activated Article 4 of the Nato treaty, demanding discussion with its member states.
He earlier held an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning after saying Poland’s airspace was “violated by a huge number of Russian drones”.
There were 19 objects which intruded into Polish airspace overnight with many drones entering from Belarus, he later said parliament. There have been no injury reports.
Three drones are confirmed to have been shot down, amid reports of drone or drone-like debris in the eastern villages of Czosnowka, Czesniki and Wyryki, and the central village of Mniszkow.
Volodymyr Zelensky said there is “increasing evidence” that Poland was deliberately targeted, as leaders across the EU and Warsaw say the incursion appears intentional.
But Moscow said that it had not planned to hit Poland and fell short of admitting that Russian drones had fallen in Polish territory.
Russia’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that its drones had carried out a major attack on military facilities in western Ukraine but that it had not planned to hit any targets in Poland.
The ministry said its forces had achieved all its targets in the attack, and pointed out that the Russian drones “which allegedly crossed the border with Poland” had a range of not more than 700 km (434 miles).
“Nevertheless, we are prepared to hold consultations with the Polish Defence Ministry on this topic,” it said.
The incursion of drones into Poland during a Russian attack on Ukraine shows that Moscow is willing for the conflict to escalate, Germany’s foreign minister said on Wednesday, adding that NATO stood united and there had to be a response.
“Russia has recklessly accepted a dangerous escalation,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said at a press conference with his Dutch counterpart.
“Unfortunately, it is clear that even after three years, Moscow is still not prepared to negotiate seriously for peace. On the contrary, the Kremlin wants to subjugate Ukraine by force. We must and will respond to this with a clear answer,” he added.
Germany would back Poland in triggering consultation between members of Nato on possible military actions, the country’s defence minister has said.
Boris Pistorius said he would support Poland if it were to invoke Article 4 of the Nato treaty, which acts as a call for such talks to take place whenever, in the opinion of any member, the territory, political independence or security of any of them is threatened.
The minister also told the Bundestag lower house of parliament that the drones had clearly been armed.
Sir Keir Starmer has voiced his support to Poland during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday afternoon.
“Last night, Russia launched drones into Poland in an unprecedented attack,” he told MPs.
“I’ve been in touch with the Polish Prime Minister this morning to make clear our support for Poland, and will stand firm in our support for Ukraine with our partners, and through our leadership of the coalition of the willing, we will continue to ramp up the pressure on Putin until there’s a just and lasting peace.”
A Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that drones shot down by Poland in Polish airspace overnight had come from the direction of Ukraine, Russian state news agency RIA reported.
“We know one thing – these drones were flying from the direction of Ukraine,” Russia’s charge d’affaires in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, was quoted as saying after leaving the Polish Foreign Ministry.
Poland said a large number of Russian drones had violated its airspace during the incident, and those that posed a direct threat had been shot down.
Reporters in Poland have been speaking to villagers in Krzywowierzba Kolonia who reported hearing explosions as Poland shot down Russian drones that entered their airspace on Wednesday morning.
“I heard something flying in the morning, so I went outside,” village head Rafał Skorupski told Fakt.
“A moment later, there was such a noise that the children were frightened. My wife had to go to the dentist in Włodawa, but the road was blocked. There were police and military police everywhere.”
The Kremlin on Wednesday declined to comment on Poland’s statement that it had shot down Russian drones in Polish airspace, saying this was a matter for the defence ministry.
Poland said a large number of Russian drones had violated its airspace during the incident, and those that posed a direct threat had been shot down.
Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte has been speaking to reporters about Russia’s latest incursion into Polish territory.
He hailed what he described as a successful operation to protect Nato territory from the Russian threat, promising to defend every inch of Nato territory.
The move was “absolutely reckless”, he said, adding that Nato would continue to defence its territory, and calling on more investment to deter and defend from the Russian threat.
Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at Moscow for its “extremely reckless” violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones during an air attack on Ukraine.
“This morning’s barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones is deeply concerning,” Sir Keir said.
“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of (Russian) president (Vladimir) Putin’s blatant disregard for peace,” he said, adding that he had been in touch with Polish counterpart Donald Tusk on Wednesday to express British support for Poland.
British defence minister John Healey, who was hosting a meeting of the E5 grouping of European nations of Britain, Poland, France, Germany and Italy in London, condemned Russia’s action at the start of that meeting.
“We will discuss this morning what additional support we can provide to Poland,” Healey said.
A Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that Poland had not given any evidence that the drones shot down in Poland were of Russian origin, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported.
“We see the accusations as groundless. No evidence that these drones are of Russian origin has been presented,” Andrey Ordash, Russia’s charge d’affaires in Poland, was quoted as saying.
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