Russian Drones Breach Romanian, Polish Airspace Prompting NATO Defense Alerts

Russian drones have increasingly violated the airspace of NATO member countries Poland and Romania amid ongoing attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure near their borders. Romania scrambled fighter jets after detecting drones near its border, though no drones breached inhabited areas or Romanian airspace, and the country remains on high alert in cooperation with NATO allies. Poland has elevated its ground-based air defense systems to the highest readiness, closed airports, and scrambled both Polish and NATO aircraft following incursions by Russian drones equipped with advanced Iranian anti-jamming GPS technology, extending their range to about 700 kilometers. These drone incursions marked the first known direct military engagement by a NATO member in Russia's war on Ukraine, with Polish and allied F-35 fighters intercepting and shooting down numerous drones. NATO has condemned these provocations as part of Russia's broader strategy of gradual escalation and hybrid warfare, testing Western tolerance without triggering a full military response. Both Poland and Romania continue close coordination with NATO to bolster the defense of Europe's eastern flank against further drone and missile attacks.