The entry of Russian drones into Poland during an attack on Ukraine demonstrates the “impunity“ of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga said on the social network “Ex“, quoted by Reuters, BTA reports.
Szybiga noted that the violation of Polish airspace shows Putin's desire to expand the war and test the West. “Putin just keeps escalating, expanding the war and testing the West“, his publication says. He added that a decision must be made on the use of air defense assets of neighboring countries, including against objects approaching NATO borders.
Poland has activated its own and NATO air defense assets to neutralize drones that entered the country after a Russian attack on western Ukraine. This is the first time that Poland has resorted to weapons against objects that violated its airspace.
More than 10 objects were detected on radar, and those that posed a risk were neutralized. The Polish Armed Forces described the airspace violation as an "act of aggression", and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kościńska-Kamiś confirmed that Polish aircraft had used weapons against hostile targets.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is calling a meeting of ministers responsible for security, with an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers scheduled for 08:00 local time (09:00 Bulgarian time).
The temporary closure of the airspace over Warsaw's "Frederick Chopin" airport was imposed due to military operations, but air traffic was later restored. The airport warned that delays and problems with flights could still occur.