Poland’s prime minister has asked to invoke Nato’s Article 4 after shooting down Russian drones in its airspace.

The country’s military recorded 19 drones violating its airspace during a Russian attack on western Ukraine last night, with seven wrecks found so far.

Both Polish and Nato air defences were scrambled after drones ‘repeatedly’ violated the country’s airspace during a bombardment of Ukraine which left at least one dead.

Those that posed a threat were ‘neutralised’ and searches to find their crash sites are ongoing – with people warned not to approach any wreckage in case they contain hazardous material.

Prime minister Donald Tusk said the violation of his country’s airspace was likely a ‘large scale provocation’ and that Poland is ready to react.

But Russian diplomat called the accusations ‘groundless’, claiming the drones originated from Ukraine.

Andrey Ordash told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti: ‘We believe that the claims are groundless. There has been no evidence that these drones are of Russian provenance.’

Mr Tusk has now formally asked to invoke Article 4 of Nato, which allows member states to ‘consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened’.

Invoking Article 4 is considered the starting point for major Nato operations, and once invoked the North Atlantic Council usually meets to formally discuss the potential threat.

Members can then come to a joint decision on how best to act next, including whether to invoke Article 5, which states an armed attack against one member state is considered an attack against them all.

Bernard Blaszczuk, mayor of the village of Wyryki in Lublin region, told local media a house was hit by ‘either a missile or a drone, we don’t know yet’. He said people were inside the building but nobody was hurt.

Drone remains were also found in Czosnówka, Cześniki and Mniszków, the latter around 190miles from the Polish/Ukrainian border.

Poland’s military command warned: ‘This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.’

This is the first time Poland has got involved in the war in its neighbouring nation – with Mr Tusk saying his nation is ‘the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two’.

Poles have been urged to stay at home, with the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions considered the most at risk.

Most of Ukraine, including western regions of Volyn and Lviv which border Poland, had been under air raid alerts nearly all night.

The Russian attacks deployed around 415 drones and over 40 missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that he believes around eight of those were aimed towards Poland.

Air defence units downed 386 drones and 27 missiles, the Ukrainian air force said.

Chopin Airport in Warsaw, the country’s largest, closed its airspace for around two hours due to military activity.

Flight tracking data showed a number of flights due to land there this morning were instead diverted to airports in Katowice, Wroclaw and Poznan.

A spokesperson said: ‘Due to the situation related to the restrictions and prior closure of the airspace, disruptions and delays are to be expected, which may last throughout the day.’

Other countries respond to Russian drones in Polish airspace

UK prime minister Keir Starmer condemned the ‘barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones’.

He added: ‘This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day.’

French president Emmanuel Macron called the incursion ‘simply unacceptable’ ahead of his meeting with Nato’s secretary general.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: ‘Russia’s war is escalating, not ending.

‘Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental.’

US Republican rep. Joe Wilson said Russia was ‘attacking NATO ally Poland’ with drones, calling it an ‘act of war’.

‘I urge President Trump to respond with mandatory sanctions that will bankrupt the Russian war machine and arm Ukraine with weapons capable of striking Russia,’ he said.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said the Russian drones entering Polish airspace show Vladimir Putin’s impunity and his expansion of the war.

Andrii Sybiha said on X: ‘Putin just keeps escalating, expanding his war, and testing the West.

‘This situation shows that finally the decision needs to be taken to enable partner air defence capabilities in neighbouring countries to be used to intercept drones and missiles in the Ukrainian air space, including those approaching Nato borders.’

Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said the overnight attacks on Ukraine and violations of Polish airspace were ‘yet another stark reminder that Russia is not just a threat to Ukraine, but to all of Europe and Nato’.

Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof confirmed Dutch F-35 fighter jets stationed in Poland under Nato provided support to the Polish air force overnight.

Mr Schoof said: ‘Let me be clear: the violation of Polish airspace last night by Russian drones is unacceptable. It is further proof that the Russian war of aggression poses a threat to European security.’

Mr Tusk said he was in ‘constant contact’ with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte.

It comes as four-day joint military exercises with Russian and Belarusian troops are set to start in Belarus on Friday, with the aim of showcasing the close links between the two countries.

Belarus shares a border with Poland, and this morning said it had shot down drones over its own airspace overnight – but did not specify whether those drones were Russian or Ukrainian.

Is Poland in Nato?

Poland is a member of Nato, having joined the 32-country military alliance in 1999.

Nato warplanes based in Poland have been scrambled several times since the war began to protect its 332-mile long border with Ukraine.

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