NATO Tested by Russian Drone Intrusion into Poland, Says Polish Ambassador to Japan

By Hiroki Oga / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:01 JST, September 22, 2025

The intrusion of Russian military drones into Polish airspace on Sept. 10 was a violation of international law, Polish Ambassador to Japan Pawel Milewski told The Yomiuri Shimbun in an interview.

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“It was a very well-planned action to intervene, to violate the international law. Within seven hours, 19 drones, military drones … entered the airspace of Poland. That was a test not only for Poland, for the Eastern European countries, but the entire NATO,” Milewski said in Tokyo on Friday.

“Russia wants to expand its power westward,” the ambassador said. “(Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to redefine the international order and then the structure of the borders … That’s why the only answer we can give back to those actions is to be united, to keep solidarity and to keep very close cooperation with allied countries, with NATO, but also with our strategic partners, like Australia, like Japan, like New Zealand, like Canada and other countries which do not want anyone to break the rules-based international order.”

As for NATO’s response to the invasion of its airspace, the ambassador said, “We are united and we are strong enough that any actions made into the NATO territory” will not be successful. He added, “We are well coordinated and well prepared when it comes not only to the equipment we have, but also in terms of the commanding system, the exchange of information and intelligence.”

Milewski said Russia may build up its military strength in the next five or 10 years. “If we don’t start now to prepare for this situation … we may be attacked again by Russia.” He said this could mean another world war on the European continent.