Poland will send military personnel to Ukraine for counter-drone warfare training, officials announced Wednesday, following an unprecedented incident in which Russian drones violated Polish airspace during strikes on neighboring Ukraine.
The training agreement between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk comes after at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish territory during a massive aerial assault on Ukraine on September 9 to 10. Polish and NATO forces shot down several of the drones in what military officials called the first direct engagement by alliance forces in the conflict.
“We have agreed with Donald (Tusk) on appropriate cooperation at the military level,” Zelenskyy said, announcing that Ukraine would share its expertise in combating Iranian-made Shahed drones that have become a signature weapon of Russia’s campaign.
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Polish armed forces members will travel to Ukraine to undergo drone interception training under Ukrainian instructors who have developed extensive experience defending against the low-cost but deadly weapons, according to a Reuters source.
The drone incursion prompted Poland to invoke NATO’s Article 4, which allows members to request consultations when they feel their security is threatened. The Polish military described the violations as “an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”
Read: Poland Invokes NATO Article 4 After Shooting Russian Drones Violating Its Airspace
Zelenskyy emphasized the economic challenge posed by the drones, noting that expensive Patriot missile systems costing $2-3 million per interceptor are impractical for stopping Shahed drones that cost roughly $100,000 each.
“This is a different level of escalation on Russia’s part and must be met with an appropriate response,” Zelenskyy said.
The training program is an unprecedented step in NATO-Ukraine cooperation, with alliance member forces traveling to an active conflict zone to learn combat techniques.
Russia’s Defense Ministry denied planning to target Polish territory, but European officials dismissed claims that the incursion was accidental. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas called it “the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began.”
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