Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia could be preparing for hybrid attacks on countries supporting Ukraine, including the use of drones and missiles against the territory of NATO countries. Tusk told the Polish parliament that this assessment is based on information from intelligence services. According to the Polish prime minister, there is a real risk that drones or missiles could enter the territory of one or more countries on NATO's eastern flank and cause damage. He warned that Moscow could present these incidents as "accidents", with the aim of weakening the unity of the alliance and testing its readiness to react.
The warning comes as Poland has raised its air defense readiness following Russian attacks in western Ukraine, near the Polish border. On Thursday, Polish fighter jets were scrambled as a precautionary measure while authorities monitored the situation in eastern areas of the country. Tusk also said Russia was increasingly using jet-powered drones, which fly faster and at higher altitudes, making them harder for air defense systems to detect and neutralize. He said late autumn and winter could be particularly critical periods for the war in Ukraine. Tusk warned that Russia was expected to intensify attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, logistics and border posts.
The Polish prime minister said Warsaw was preparing for various scenarios and would strengthen border and infrastructure protection near Ukraine. He also announced that he would travel to Kiev to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss measures against the new threat from drones and missiles. Tusk's warnings come as NATO and its member states face growing concerns about air incidents and the possibility of the conflict escalating beyond Ukrainian territory.
