ALBAWABA- In a dramatic escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war, Poland and its NATO allies shot down multiple Russian Shahed drones that violated Polish airspace overnight, marking the first time since 2022 that a NATO member has fired directly in response to Russian incursions.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament the incident was “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two,” though he cautioned there was “no reason to believe we’re on the brink of war.”
The overnight operation saw Polish F-16s joined by Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft, and NATO refueling planes, scrambling from Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning to intercept the drones.
One drone crashed into the home of pensioner Tomasz Wesolowski in the village of Wyryki-Wola, destroying the roof and leaving his house uninhabitable. “The house needs to be demolished,” Wesolowski told Reuters.
The United Nations voiced alarm over the strikes. Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a “real risk” of the conflict spilling beyond Ukraine’s borders.
His spokesman said the episode “reaffirms the regional impact and the real risk of expansion of this devastating conflict.”
The unprecedented military engagement underscores the fragility of Europe’s security, as NATO’s direct involvement edges the war closer to a dangerous new phase.
