Thread by @Mylovanov

After Poland closed its border with Belarus, Russia launched 19 drones — the largest breach of NATO airspace since 1949. One crashed 300 km deep into Poland. – The Economist.

PM Tusk: “closest to open conflict since WWII.”

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Polish and Dutch F-35s shot down several drones overnight Sept 9–10. Airports shut down.

President Karol Nawrocki: “an unprecedented moment in NATO and Poland’s history.” Article 4 was invoked for immediate consultations.

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Drones entered hours before Russia’s Zapad exercises in Belarus, set for Sept 12. On paper: 13,000 troops.

In 2021: ~200,000. Russia invaded Ukraine five months later. Tusk ordered the Belarus border closed; drones came anyway.

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Moscow claims the 19 drones “veered off course” during Ukraine strikes. Analysts dismiss it.

Marek Świerczyński(Polityka Insight): “It’s hard to believe as many as 19 drones could have gotten out of control. Consider this deliberate.”

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The drones were identified as Gerbera models, cheap decoys used to probe defenses. Ukrainian intel says they were originally developed by a Chinese company. Russia tested Polish air defenses for gaps.

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Tusk: “Do not look for an enemy in the West. The one real enemy we have in the East is enough.” He said Poland spoke with Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Baltics — all see the Russian threat clearly.

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Mark Rutte: “Stop violating allied airspace. We will defend every inch of NATO territory.”

If this unprecedented violation brings no serious consequences, Putin moves closer to breaking alliance unity.

7X

Source: economist.com/europe/2025/09…