Poland downs drones, the first NATO member to open fire 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. WARSAW/WYRYKI-WOLA, Poland, Sept 10 (Reuters) - 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.Moscow denied responsibility for the incident, with a senior diplomat in Poland saying the drones had come from the direction of Ukraine. Russia's defence ministry said its drones had carried out a major attack on military facilities in western Ukraine but it had not planned to hit any targets in Poland.Item 1 of 10 A member of the Polish Army inspects a damaged house, after Russian drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine and some were shot down by Poland, in Wyryki, Lublin Voivodeship, Poland, September 10, 2025.Andrey Ordash, Russia's charge d'affaires in Poland, was cited by RIA state news agency as calling accusations of an incursion "groundless" and said Poland had not given any evidence that the drones shot down were of Russian origin.