2 months Ago
Polish military authorities thanked NATO, the Dutch Air Force, and their F-35 assets for being prepared to deal with the Russian drones in Polish airspace, especially considering the Dutch F-35 jets have been deployed in Eastern Europe since September 1, 2023, to assist NATO in providing air patrols in Eastern Europe.
Tensions Remain High between Poland and the Netherlands
Minister of Foreign Affairs Van Weel of the Netherlands reiterated that the Netherlands stood behind Poland and cited "the NATO Alliance's ability to respond to any incursion into NATO territory". Van Weel suspected that tougher sanctions against Russia may need to be levied against Russia's war economy. There has yet to be an official response from the Ministry of Defence in the Netherlands, while Polish Government officials stated they viewed the drone incursion "as an act of aggression putting the lives of our citizens at risk".
The search is ongoing for properties of the drone; a damaged drone has been located in the Bogdanka lake near the village of Czosnowka, which is close to the borders of Belarus.
Tensions Escalating After Drone Strikes
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that "a massive number of drones" crossed into the airspace near Poland, although Tusk did not state how many. Tusk stated the Russian drones were destroyed, claiming they posed a "direct threat" to the integrity of the state. The Polish government has called an emergency meeting, and Prime Minister Tusk has advised NATO leader Mark Rutte.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine claimed that at least eight of the strike drones flew into Polish airspace, and also stated the attacks conducted by Russia constitute "an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe."
