Poland shoots down Russian drones, a first for Nato member during Ukraine war

Poland shot down suspected Russian drones in its airspace on Wednesday with the backing of aircraft from its Nato allies, the first time a member of the Western military alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament it was “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II” though he also said he had “no reason to believe we’re on the brink of war”.

Polish F-16 fighter jets, Dutch F-35s, Italian Awacs surveillance planes, and Nato mid-air refuelling aircraft scrambled in an operation to shoot down drones entering Polish airspace from Tuesday evening until morning, officials said.

One drone smashed into pensioner Tomasz Wesolowski’s two-storey brick house in the eastern Polish village of Wyryki-Wola at 6.30am while he was downstairs watching news about the incursion.

The roof was destroyed, and debris was strewn across the bedroom. Wesolowski told Reuters the house “needs to be demolished”.