\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLesia Bidochko<\/a>
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\n\t\t\t\tAnalysis<\/a>Hot Topics<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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Photo: FotoDax \/ Shutterstock<\/p>\n
In the early hours of September 10th 2025, during yet another massive Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine, Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, violated Polish airspace. Poland has formally requested the activation of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which mandates consultations among member states whenever any of them perceives a threat to the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of a NATO country. The operational command of the Polish armed forces stated on X that Russia\u2019s attack on Ukraine that day resulted in an \u201cunprecedented breach of Polish airspace by drones,\u201d labeling it an act of aggression posing a real threat to the safety of its citizens.<\/p>\n
One drone crashed into a residential building in the village of Wyrki-Wola, near the Belarusian border. The impact damaged the roof and a nearby car, though no fire broke out, and no injuries were reported (it was later determined the residential building was damaged as a result of a missile from an F-16 attempting to shoot down the drone \u2013 editor\u2019s note). However, the incident highlighted the vulnerability of border regions and the potential for escalation, as the drones were part of a broader assault on Ukraine, where Russia deployed hundreds of UAVs.<\/p>\n
This event stands out from previous incidents when Russian missiles or drones strayed into Polish territory. For instance, in November 2022, a missile strike in Przewod\u00f3w killed two people, sparking an international outcry, yet Poland refrained from intercepting it, opting for diplomatic measures instead. This time, Warsaw took a decisive step, ordering the active downing of drones for the first time, citing an immediate threat to public safety and Russian aggression. The decision came amid heightened risks for eastern regions where the military issued warnings to residents. Polish Defence Minister W\u0142adys\u0142aw Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized the scale of the violation, calling for an urgent response.<\/p>\n
NATO has not classified the incident as a direct Russian attack on a member state. According to Reuters, NATO sources noted it was the first instance of alliance aircraft engaging potential threats in a member\u2019s airspace. The operation involved Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS reconnaissance planes, and NATO refuelling aircraft. While Patriot air defence systems detected the drones with radar, they did not engage directly. This coordination underscored alliance solidarity, though the decision not to invoke Article 5 of the NATO treaty reflects a cautious approach.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace as an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe. \u201cMoscow always tests the limits of what is possible, and without a strong response, it remains at a new level of escalation. Today marked yet another escalatory step \u2013Russian-Iranian Shaheds operated in Polish airspace, within NATO territory,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Let us explore the reaction of Russian propagandists and what their chosen tactics reveal.<\/p>\n
\u201cPoland is hysterical, and the drones aren\u2019t Russian\u201d: Russian Telegram\u2019s response to the attack<\/strong><\/p>\n In covering the recent drone attack, the Russian segment of Telegram employs three primary tactics: denial, blame-shifting onto Ukraine, and downplaying the incident\u2019s severity through manipulation of NATO\u2019s official statement. These strategies aim to obscure Russia\u2019s role and sow doubt among audiences.<\/p>\n The first narrative denies that the drones were Russian, asserting that Poland is \u201ccrying wolf\u201d despite no apparent threat. Propagandists claim Warsaw and Europe are deliberately escalating tensions to justify actions against Russian Shahed-136 drones over Ukraine. For instance, a Telegram channel with 1.2 million followers from the pro-war blogger pool posted: \u201cThis looks like a cover operation for Polish air defence and air force actions against our \u201cGeraniums\u201d over western Ukraine. There\u2019s no evidence of Geraniums entering Poland.\u201d \u201cStop scaring the Poles,\u201d the post added.<\/p>\n Similarly, a channel with 861,000 subscribers references Russian Ambassador Sergei Andreev\u2019s remarks: \u201cPoland has repeatedly accused Russia of violating its airspace but has never provided any proof.\u201d This tactic portrays Poland, the West, and Ukraine as provocateurs fabricating threats to escalate the situation.<\/p>\n The second, and most manipulative, narrative indirectly or explicitly shifts blame to Ukraine, suggesting the drones were Ukrainian. Propagandists argue this based on the \u201cdisproportionate\u201d damage.<\/p>\n A channel with two million subscribers states: \u201cIf it were a Russian drone, the destruction would have been far greater. Photos from the incident site raise questions: the \u2018Geran-2,\u2019 which targets military infrastructure in Ukraine, carries a 90 kg warhead. The damage, based on Polish media footage, doesn\u2019t match this power. Experts cited by [the channel] say such a payload could collapse a section of a residential five-story building, yet only part of a roof was damaged.\u201d<\/p>\n Another channel with 500,000 subscribers goes further: \u201cBelarus saved Poland from a drone attack. Allies in Minsk took the informational hit and explained how drones entered Polish territory \u2013 during a night time exchange of UAV strikes between Russia and Ukraine, Belarusian monitoring forces warned Poland about incoming drones.\u201d<\/p>\n This narrative casts Ukraine as a provocateur allegedly \u201cdragging NATO into war\u201d to secure more aid. A channel with three million subscribers mockingly added: \u201cThe Nazis are disappointed again that another attempt to directly involve someone in the Ukraine conflict failed.\u201d<\/p>\n The third tactic manipulates NATO\u2019s statement that the incident isn\u2019t deemed a direct attack, framing it as proof of Poland\u2019s \u201coverreaction\u201d to gain attention. Russian channels widely promote this, claiming Warsaw is exaggerating to boost its status in the Alliance or secure more support. They note NATO didn\u2019t invoke Article 5, suggesting \u201cnothing serious happened.\u201d This narrative devalues Poland\u2019s response, depicting it as \u201chysteria\u201d for self-promotion while ignoring NATO\u2019s involvement in interception.<\/p>\n For example, a channel with 80,000 subscribers stated: \u201cPoland is trying to play the victim and stoke hysteria. Media instantly ran headlines about \u2018Russian aggression\u2019. This is all aimed at one goal \u2013 creating an enemy image (Russia) and justifying increased militarization.\u201d<\/p>\n A channel with three million subscribers posted: \u201cPoland\u2019s interior ministry claimed they found debris from seven drones and possibly one missile \u2026 I\u2019d advise them to check the main gas pipelines next. Maybe the \u2018Veterans\u2019 brigade is already approaching Warsaw (no gas there anymore) (the 60th Separate Airborne Brigade Veterans, formed in 2022, is known for sabotage and assault operations, including infiltrating rear lines via underground communications \u2013 author\u2019s note).\u201d<\/p>\n From red lines to grey zone of tolerance<\/strong><\/p>\n The violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones during the massive attack on Ukraine exemplifies the Kremlin\u2019s tactic of creeping aggression, a strategy systematically employed to undermine the stability of neighbouring states and test the limits of western response. Unlike the direct, overt aggression launched against Ukraine in February 2022, when Russia initiated a full-scale invasion with simultaneous strikes across multiple fronts, the approach towards Poland involves smaller, scattered actions that appear as isolated incidents at first glance. This method allows Moscow to avoid direct confrontation with NATO while gradually normalizing breaches of allied sovereignty.<\/p>\n The aggression against Ukraine was sudden and all encompassing: according to UN and western intelligence reports, Russia amassed over 150,000 troops along the borders, launched missile strikes on civilian infrastructure, and attempted to seize key cities like Kyiv within the first weeks. This triggered an immediate international response \u2013 ranging from sanctions to weapons supplies \u2013 due to the undeniable intent and scale of the aggression. In contrast, Russia\u2019s actions towards Poland fall into a \u201cgrey zone\u201d, characterized by minor incidents such as drones straying during \u201cUkrainian operations,\u201d falling missile debris, or \u201caccidental\u201d border violations.<\/p>\n This time, the incident resulted in no significant destruction or casualties. Yet, it is not an isolated event: similar breaches occurred between 2022 and 2024, when Russian missiles and drones entered the airspace of Poland, Romania, and Moldova, only to be dismissed as \u201ctechnical errors\u201d or \u201cside effects\u201d of strikes on Ukraine.<\/p>\n This dispersion is a critical component of the strategy. A coordinated, large-scale attack, such as a direct bombing of Polish targets, would likely prompt NATO to invoke Article 5 on collective defence, classifying it as a classic invasion. However, these isolated \u201cincidents\u201d blur the lines of reality, with each treated as an unintentional or random occurrence. This provides Moscow with room to manoeuvre, gradually eroding western \u201cred lines\u201d into a vague zone of tolerance.<\/p>\n Historical parallels are evident: similar creeping aggression was used in Georgia in 2008 (starting with \u201cpeacekeeping\u201d forces before escalating to full conflict), in Crimea in 2014 (\u201clittle green men\u201d without insignia), and in eastern Ukraine (supporting \u201cseparatists\u201d without formal recognition). In each case, Russia probed global reactions, incrementally escalating while avoiding the threshold that would lead to full isolation.<\/p>\n Russian propaganda typically frames such incidents not as acts of aggression by Moscow but as \u201caccidents\u201d or \u201cminor events\u201d \u2013 drones allegedly veered off course due to Ukrainian interference, Ukrainian air defences are \u201cineffective,\u201d or Poland \u201cexaggerates the threat to justify escalation.\u201d These manipulations aim to sow panic among Polish civilians, morally disarm society, and render it susceptible to disinformation. By blurring the boundaries between war and peace, this tactic drags Polish society into the \u201cfog of war\u201d.<\/p>\n Lesia Bidochko<\/strong> is an assistant professor of political science at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine and a non-resident fellow at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt-Oder (Germany). She is also the deputy head of the Detector Media Research Centre in Ukraine.<\/p>\n \n\t\t
\n\t\tdrones<\/a>, Poland<\/a>, provocatino<\/a>, Russia<\/a>, Ukraine<\/a>\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The incursion of Russian drones and missiles into Polish airspace echoes the \u201cikhtamnet\u201d tactic, a sarcastic term for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":442865,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7655],"tags":[2595,770,149685,332,657],"class_list":{"0":"post-442864","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-russia","8":"tag-drones","9":"tag-poland","10":"tag-provocatino","11":"tag-russia","12":"tag-ukraine"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115247009485250850","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=442864"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/442864\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=442864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=442864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=442864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}