Tensions between NATO and Russia reached a new high this week after Polish and NATO forces intercepted multiple Russian drones that violated Polish airspace during Moscow’s aerial attacks on Ukraine.
The incident, which occurred overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, marked the first direct military engagement between NATO forces and Russian assets since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
According to Poland’s military operational command, “unprecedented drone-type objects” crossed the border, triggering immediate response from Polish F-16 fighter jets, along with Dutch F-35s and Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft. One drone struck a residential building in eastern Poland’s Wyryki municipality, though no casualties were reported.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the incident as a “large-scale provocation,” warning that while Poland is not yet in a state of war, the situation is now “more dangerous than at any time since the Second World War.”
The drones reportedly entered Polish airspace during a wave of Russian strikes on western Ukraine. Poland shut down at least three airports, including Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, and urged residents in border regions to take shelter.
Prime Minister Tusk said 19 drones were detected in total, calling the attack a direct threat to Polish citizens. “We are ready to repel such provocations,” he stated, adding that his government is in ongoing consultation with NATO allies.
The incursion has sparked questions about whether this could draw NATO more directly into the war. Under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all, requiring collective response.
However, Article 5 is not automatically triggered. It requires unanimous agreement among member states that the attack qualifies under the treaty’s definition of armed aggression.
To date, Article 5 has only been invoked once — by the United States after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Not yet. While Poland has not moved to invoke Article 5, Prime Minister Tusk confirmed that Article 4 will be triggered instead. This provision allows for emergency consultations among NATO members when a country feels its security is under threat — often a precursor to more serious collective action.
“Words are not enough,” Tusk said. “We need much greater support from our allies.”
This is not the first time Article 4 has been used in the context of the Ukraine war. Several Eastern European nations invoked it in early 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion began.
The use of Article 4 signals the seriousness with which Poland views the airspace violation, and could pave the way for an expanded NATO response — militarily, diplomatically, or through increased troop deployments along the alliance’s eastern flank.
While NATO is unlikely to rush into open conflict with Russia without further escalation, the line between defense and engagement is growing thinner as Russian military operations increasingly affect NATO territory, intentionally or otherwise.
The drone incursion into Poland does not yet mean war between NATO and Russia — but it has moved the alliance closer to the edge. Whether that line will be crossed depends on Moscow’s next moves, and how NATO chooses to respond to what many see as a dangerous provocation.
