Poland will not hesitate to shoot down any object that violates its airspace and poses a threat, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a press conference on Monday, 22 September. His remarks follow Estonia’s announcement that three Russian fighter jets entered its airspace on Friday, 19 September, a development that has reinforced the sense within the Atlantic Alliance that Moscow is testing NATO’s readiness and resolve. Some allies have called for a robust response. The UN Security Council is due to meet later on Monday to discuss the incident.
Moscow denies, tensions persist
Moscow has reiterated that Estonia’s allegations are false, arguing that they are designed to raise tensions. The dispute comes amid a pattern of incidents around NATO’s eastern flank.
Poland previously reported that 20 Russian drones entered its airspace during the night of 10 to 11 September. Warsaw also said that on Friday, 19 September, two Russian fighter jets breached the safety zone of the Petrobaltic offshore platform in the Baltic Sea.
Tusk’s message and caution against escalation
“We will take the decision to shoot down flying objects that violate our territory and fly over Poland, there is no discussion about this,” Tusk warned. He added that in situations that are not entirely clear, such as Russian jets flying over the Petrobaltic platform without a formal violation because the area is not Polish territorial waters, authorities must think carefully before taking steps that could trigger a sharper phase in the dispute. Decisions outside clear-cut violations should be made with caution to avoid escalation, he said, adding that Poland also needs assurance of unified NATO support if tensions rise further.
CNN sourced reporting