Poland issues stark warning of escalation after shooting down four Russian drones

Poland has warned it is closer to conflict than at any point since the Second World War, following an unprecedented incursion into Nato territory by Russian drones.

- ALEX CROFT

The country's air defences were scrambled after 19 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) entered its airspace during a major attack on western Ukraine, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said.

It marks the first time a Nato country has fired any weapons in relation to Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine since the conflict began in 2022. Mr Tusk has invoked Article 4 of the Nato treaty, demanding consultation with its member states.

“We are dealing with a large-scale provocation,” he said yesterday. “We are ready to repel such provocations. The situation is serious, and no one doubts that we must prepare for various scenarios.

“The fact that these drones, which posed a security threat, were shot down changes the political situation. This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two.”

The incident has drawn fierce condemnation from Kyiv, Warsaw, and allies in Nato and Europe, who believe it was a deliberate act.