Russian drones in airspace were 'duds': Polish FM
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Poland says unarmed Russian drones that entered its airspace during Moscow's September 10 strikes on Ukraine were likely a test of NATO's defenses, amid denials from Russia and parallel Belarusian military exercises.
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Territorial defense officers clean up debris from the destroyed roof of a house, after multiple Russian drones struck in Wyryki near Lublin, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025 (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland's foreign minister said on Sunday that the drones that recently crossed into Polish airspace from Russia carried no explosives.
"Interestingly, they were all duds, which suggests to me that Russia tried to test us without starting a war," Radoslaw Sikorski told The Guardian. He added that Moscow appeared to be probing NATO's readiness without risking direct escalation.
His remarks came after Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that Polish defenses had intercepted what he described as "dangerous" drones on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later stated that more than ten drones had entered Polish airspace during the incident. Local authorities reported that debris was recovered in several provinces, with one drone damaging a residential building in Lublin Voivodeship.
Airspace Tensions Rise
The drones entered Poland amid one of Russia’s largest aerial offensives on Ukraine this year. On September 10, Moscow launched waves of missiles and drones targeting Ukrainian defense industry sites, with some craft veering into NATO territory.
In response, Poland scrambled fighter jets, temporarily shut down airspace over Lublin, and invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, requesting consultations over what it described as a threat to its security and territorial integrity. NATO subsequently announced Operation Eastern Sentry to reinforce air defenses along the alliance’s eastern flank.
Investigators later found that the drones that reached Poland were unarmed, heightening speculation they were meant to gauge Western reactions.
The episode also coincided with the start of Zapad-2025, large-scale Russian-Belarusian military exercises held near NATO’s eastern frontier. The drills, which began on September 12, were planned in advance but their timing reinforced perceptions in Warsaw and Brussels that Moscow is pressuring the alliance on multiple fronts.
Read more: Poland deploys 40,000 troops ahead of Russia-Belarus Zapad drills
Disputed Responsibility
Russia has dismissed the accusations. Charge d'affaires Andrey Ordash said Warsaw had not provided proof linking the drones to Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that "no strikes on Polish territory were planned" during its September 10 campaign and expressed readiness to consult with Polish authorities.
Belarus also commented on the incident. First Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Muraveiko said Minsk had informed both Poland and Lithuania early Wednesday about drones nearing their borders, while Warsaw in turn notified Belarus about drones crossing from Ukraine. Belarusian officials attributed the wayward flight paths to electronic warfare interference in Ukraine.
