Political head warns escalation risk in large-scale Russian drone incursion into Poland
By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council members on Friday that the reports that Russian drones crossed deep into Polish territory and were shot down by NATO allies highlight the growing regional risks of the war in Ukraine.
She said it was not the first time drones had been spotted beyond Ukraine’s borders “but it is the first time that multiple drones have flown so deep into a neighboring country’s airspace.”
Ms. DiCarlo said the UN had no way of verifying any claims or counter-claims surrounding the incident and could only rely on publicly available information.
According to Poland, 19 Russian drones entered its airspace overnight on 9 and 10 September during a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine, she noted.
Polish authorities said some drones were pre-emptively shot down, and debris was later recovered across central and eastern parts of the country.
The episode marked the first time NATO allies used force to neutralize such drones.
Polish authorities temporary airport closures in Warsaw and Rzeszów and restrictions on air traffic in the east of the country. While no casualties were reported, residential areas in some villages sustained damage.
Russia’s Defence Ministry acknowledged carrying out strikes against Ukrainian targets during the same period but said it had no intention of engaging any targets in Poland.
Belarus stated that some drones were deflected by Ukrainian countermeasures and veered off course, added that it had alerted neighboring countries as drones approached their airspace.
Poland invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty after the incident, prompting emergency consultations among the 32 member states of the European security pact.
UNSC briefing came against a backdrop of continued Russian strikes across Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 400 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles were launched on 15 regions between 9 and 10 September, caused civilian deaths, including at least one in Kyiv.
Ms. DiCarlo also highlighted the war’s toll in Russia and in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
She reminded the Council that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur, are prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop.
“This week’s events underline the dangerous impact of this war on the security of the region and the risk of escalation,” she said.
“We, therefore, once again urgently call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. The end state must be a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions,” she concluded.
