Russian drones over Poland put Czechia on full alert

Russian drones violated Polish airspace overnight, underlining how Moscow’s war in Ukraine is increasingly encroaching on Europe’s borders and raising pressing security questions for Czechia. Nineteen drones crossed into Polish territory, part of a broader Russian strike that launched 415 drones against Ukraine.

Polish authorities shot down several drones and later recovered debris across multiple sites, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk calling the episode the country’s “closest to open conflict since World War II.”

Czech leaders say the attack is deliberate, not accidental. Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s regime is “systematically probing how far it can go,” while Defense Minister Jana Černochová said the strike demonstrates Moscow’s willingness to use similar tactics against countries near Czechia, “and perhaps even against Czechia itself.”

The timing of the attack, just weeks before October’s parliamentary elections, has sparked a political divide in Prague. While opposition ANO leader Andrej Babiš and Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) chief Tomio Okamura voiced general support for Poland and the need to end the war, critics say both fell short of explicitly condemning Russia’s aggression.

By contrast, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný stressed that Putin is not seeking peace, and that a ceasefire alone would not halt Russian hostilities.

Czech spy chief Michal Koudelka, speaking at a conference on internal security and state resilience in the Czech Chamber of Deputies this week, told lawmakers that Russia deliberately targets “women, children, and innocent, defenseless Ukrainian citizens,” and warned that the Kremlin seeks to “sow division and erode public trust in institutions” while continuing its war, giving Czechia time to prepare for potential aggression.

The attack also highlighted vulnerabilities in civilian infrastructure. According to the BBC, Warsaw Chopin Airport experienced flight diversions and delays, which affected international flights.

At the same time, the Interior Ministry reported this week that sabotage attacks on European critical infrastructure have nearly tripled since 2023, ranging from arson to GPS jamming and cable damage.

President Petr Pavel framed the incident as a warning for the region: “Neither Czechia, its neighbors, nor Europe is safe. We cannot pretend that this war does not concern us.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned the drone attacks as “reckless behavior.” Russia has denied involvement in the breach of the country's airspace.