Speaking to parliament on Thursday, Tusk said intelligence assessments indicated that Moscow could seek to test NATO’s collective defense commitment and create uncertainty among alliance members, Anadolu Agency reported.
“According to intelligence assessments, Russia’s plan … includes hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland,” Tusk said, according to Polish and international media reports.
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He said the assessment had become increasingly consistent and convincing, although he did not identify the intelligence agencies involved. Tusk previously said he had received a detailed report from CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
“In short, there is a real risk that drones or other types of missiles could enter the territory of one or several countries on the eastern flank and even cause damage, while the official narrative would be that it was an accident,” Tusk said.
His warning came as Poland scrambled military aircraft on Thursday during a large-scale Russian attack on western Ukraine, with explosions reported close to the Polish border.
Polish military authorities said the country’s airspace was not violated. The Operational Command said the deployment of military aircraft and the activation of air defense and radar systems were precautionary measures aimed at protecting Polish airspace.
Two airports, in Lublin and Rzeszow, also temporarily suspended operations to allow military aircraft to operate freely. The airports later resumed flights after the military operation ended.
A Russian drone reportedly crashed or was shot down on Ukrainian territory about 4 kilometers from the Polish border, according to a Polish military spokesperson cited by Reuters. Tusk said a powerful explosion occurred near the border in the area of Dorohusk, opposite Ukraine’s Yahodyn crossing.
The developments came amid a broader wave of Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Thursday. Reuters reported that strikes hit Kyiv and several other Ukrainian regions, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure.
Poland, which borders Ukraine and is a NATO member, has repeatedly increased its air-defense readiness in response to Russian attacks near its territory. Thursday’s measures followed another recent series of incidents near the Polish-Ukrainian border.
Tusk has warned in recent days that Russia could increase provocations along Ukraine’s borders with neighboring European countries.
