Poland has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Russian drones allegedly violated its airspace during an overnight assault on Ukraine.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed the request, though it did not indicate when the session would be held.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, speaking on Polish radio, said the country wanted to alert the international community to what he described as “an unprecedented attack by Russian drones on a member state, not only of the UN, but also of the European Union and NATO.”
Warsaw reported that 19 drones entered its airspace between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning as part of a Russian strike on Ukraine. Several of them were intercepted and destroyed by Polish and Dutch fighter jets.
The incident marks the first time Russian drones have been shot down over NATO territory, raising concerns about a possible escalation in the Western alliance’s response to Moscow’s military campaign.
Russia has denied the claim, with its Defence Ministry stating on Telegram that “there were no plans to target infrastructure in Poland.” Sikorski rejected the explanation, insisting that “nineteen violations of Polish airspace in a coordinated seven-hour operation cannot be a coincidence. This is a military and political test, not only for Poland, but for NATO as a whole.”
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia retains veto power, meaning it can block any formal resolution or condemnation of its actions.