The first result of Russia’s invasion of Poland was an appeal by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to NATO allies. He is seeking consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty following the invasion of Russian drones. This is the first time since 2001, after the attack on the United States.
At the same time, Poland has imposed restrictions on air traffic in the eastern part of Poland along the border with Ukraine and Belarus.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Sweden would urgently send aid to Poland in the form of air defense systems and aircraft.
In Poland, the military defense forces have been asked to be ready for rapid deployment in a shorter time frame than the standard procedure. In particular, in the regions closest to the eastern border, military defense forces may receive a call 6 hours before they are due to report for duty. In the provinces in the central part of the country, the notification may come 12 hours before the time of assembly.
Let us recall that on the night of September 10, 19 Russian drones attacked the territory of Poland, a NATO member state. Allied combat aircraft were scrambled to destroy the enemy targets. Specifically, these were Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, and a Swedish radar aircraft.
The Polish president said that analysis by Polish experts confirmed that the enemy targets had deliberately violated the country’s airspace. It was not an accident or a navigation error by the drones as a result of Ukrainian electronic warfare.
The Polish president held telephone consultations with the leaders of France, Great Britain, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. The results of the negotiations have not been announced.
Donald Trump wrote only two sentences on his social media account: “What is this violation of Poland’s airspace by Russian drones? It has begun!”
NATO’s involvement in the war against Russia could result in unplanned financial and human losses. It would be much more profitable to invest in Ukraine’s victory. But now we will have to pay a higher price.
