Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has acknowledged that his country is witnessing a rising sense of antipathy towards Ukraine, stressing that it is the responsibility of politicians to curb this trend rather than exploit it.
In a post on X on Sunday, Tusk said there is “a growing wave of pro-Russian sentiment and antipathy towards a struggling Ukraine,” attributing it partly to Kremlin influence and partly to “genuine fears and emotions.”
He warned that “the role of politicians is to stem this tide,” calling it a test of “the patriotism and maturity of the entire Polish political class.”
His comments came days after Polish officials reported at least 19 violations of the country’s airspace by drones, with up to four UAVs shot down. Authorities said some damage occurred on the ground but no casualties were reported. Warsaw accused Russia of staging an “act of aggression.”
Moscow rejected the accusations. The Russian Defence Ministry said none of its drone operations target Poland, insisting they are solely aimed at Ukrainian military-linked facilities.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov argued that “the leadership of the EU and NATO accuse Russia of provocations on a daily basis, most often declining to offer any arguments.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski separately noted that many of the drones entered Polish airspace from Ukrainian territory. He said the drones were capable of carrying munitions but had not been fitted with explosives.
Sikorski also dismissed claims that Poland’s air defences had been unprepared, despite reports that several UAVs travelled hundreds of miles into Polish territory.
The incident has drawn international attention, who observe this as an underscored vulnerability of NATO members to large-scale drone attacks.