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Russia is continuing to deny any wrongdoing for a recent drone incursion into Polish airspace, despite mounting evidence and accusations from Poland.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Two days ago Poland closed some of its airspace over a drone incursion that saw 19 Russian drones breach Polish territory during a nighttime barrage targeting western Ukraine. Of the 19, at least four were intercepted and shot down by Polish and NATO air defenses, marking the first time NATO aircraft have engaged aerial threats within alliance airspace since the war began. Polish authorities have since confirmed the discovery of drone debris at 12 separate sites across the country, including in Lublin, Łódź, Warmian-Masurian, Mazowieckie, and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships. One of the drones crashed on the grounds of a Territorial Defence Forces base in Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą, just south of Warsaw. Officials have identified the drones as Russian-made Geran-type models, and photographs of the wreckage show mangled fuselages and Russian-origin components, though no explosives were found.

Getting into it: The Kremlin has flatly refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing, instead claiming that no Russian drones were ever intended to enter Polish territory. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations, stating, “We don’t want to comment; it is not within our competence, and is the prerogative of the defense ministry of the Russian Federation.” The Russian Ministry of Defense echoed that position, releasing a statement via Telegram that read: “No targets on the territory of Poland were planned… nevertheless, we are ready to hold consultations on this matter with Poland’s Ministry of Defense.”  

Russia’s charge d’affaires in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, added further denial, calling Poland’s claims “groundless” and saying there is “absolutely no interest” on Russia’s part in escalating tensions with a NATO member. Belarus, a close Russian ally and likely launch site of the drones, claimed the breach was the result of “electronic warfare” interference.

Poland, however, has responded with urgency and evidence. Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that 19 drones entered Polish airspace during Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine. He invoked NATO’s Article 4, prompting emergency consultations among alliance members. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski added, “The assessment of Polish and NATO air forces is that they did not veer off course, but were deliberately targeted.”

NATO has publicly supported Poland’s version of events and is treating the incident as a serious breach of allied airspace. Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated, “It is absolutely reckless. It is absolutely dangerous,” and emphasized that even if the drones had not been intentionally targeted at Poland, their presence alone constitutes a threat. NATO officials suspect that the drone incursion may have been a calculated probe by Russia to gauge the alliance’s readiness and response protocols.

This all comes as President Donald Trump has also chimed in on the incident, saying on Truth Social: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!”