Russia’s plans may include strikes against Ukraine’s allies, Poland says

Warsaw also says it scrambled military planes in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine, close to its border.

Al Jazeera2026-09-17 19:54查看原文 ↗

Warsaw also says it has scrambled military planes in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine, close to its border.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk [Roland Schlager/AFP]

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says that intelligence information suggests Russia plans to launch drone and missile attacks against countries supporting Ukraine.

Warsaw’s leader outlined the assessment during an address to parliament on Thursday, saying that the attacks will be meant to weaken NATO’s ability to act collectively in response.

list 1 of 4 Ukraine drone strikes kill four as Russia attacks close to Poland border

list 2 of 4 Poland, Ukraine accuse Russia of ‘escalation’ after strikes near border

list 3 of 4 NATO pledges more Ukraine support after Russia strikes near Poland

list 4 of 4 NATO jet shoots down suspected Russian drone over Lithuania

“According to intelligence assessments, Russia’s plan … includes hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland,” Tusk said.

European countries suspect Moscow of being behind a series of acts of sabotage in recent months to put pressure on the allies, especially Germany, helping Kyiv in its bid to resist Russia’s full-scale invasion – something the Kremlin has vigorously denied.

“These potential strikes would be quote-unquote ‘accidental’ in nature, intended to paralyse or at least weaken the resolve of NATO states to invoke the relevant NATO provisions in the event of aggression against a member country,” Tusk added.

He did not elaborate on which intelligence agencies had provided the warning.

He also said such attacks by Russia could coincide with “political changes in certain European countries granting power – or at least a powerful voice – to those who, increasingly invoking noble slogans of peace, pacifism and needless casualties, will call for peace – or rather, the total capitulation of Ukraine”.

Tusk appeared to be referring to the advance of more Russia-friendly parties such as Alternative for Germany (AfD) and National Rally in France.

Air raid near border with Poland

Earlier on Thursday, Poland said it had scrambled military planes in response to a Russian attack in western Ukraine, close to the Polish border.

Airports in Rzeszow and Lublin were temporarily closed, and residents of two eastern regions of Poland received air raid warnings. Local media reported that sirens had sounded and that pupils in some schools had sought shelter.

“Very close to the Polish border, not far from Dorohusk, a petrol station was most likely attacked again,” Tusk said.

On Sunday, a Russian drone hit a passenger train in Ukraine, just two kilometres (1.6 miles) from the Polish border.

Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland was strengthening airspace protection.

“We have increased F-16 and helicopter activity, and are reinforcing our air defence and rapid response systems,” he wrote on X.

Tusk said he would visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday to discuss cooperation within the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition, a group of European countries developing an air defence system with Ukraine as a cheaper alternative to the US-built Patriot.

华沙方面还表示，已紧急出动军机应对俄罗斯在乌克兰西部靠近其边境地区发动的袭击。

波兰总理唐纳德·图斯克 [罗兰·施拉格/法新社]

波兰总理唐纳德·图斯克表示，情报信息显示，俄罗斯计划对支持乌克兰的国家发动无人机和导弹袭击。

华沙领导人周四在议会发表讲话时概述了这一评估，称这些袭击旨在削弱北约集体应对的能力。

乌克兰无人机袭击造成四人死亡，俄罗斯袭击波兰边境附近地区（共四条，此为第一条）

波兰和乌克兰指责俄罗斯在边境附近发动袭击后“升级局势”（共4条记录中的第2条）

北约承诺在俄罗斯袭击波兰附近地区后加大对乌克兰的支持力度（共4项，此为第3项）

北约战机在立陶宛上空击落疑似俄罗斯无人机（共4架，此为第4架）

图斯克说：“根据情报评估，俄罗斯的计划……包括对支持乌克兰的国家，包括波兰，发动无人机和导弹混合打击。”

欧洲各国怀疑莫斯科是近几个月来一系列破坏活动的幕后黑手，目的是向盟国，特别是德国施压，以帮助基辅抵抗俄罗斯的全面入侵——克里姆林宫对此予以强烈否认。

图斯克补充说：“这些潜在的打击本质上是所谓的‘意外’，目的是瘫痪或至少削弱北约国家在成员国遭受侵略时援引北约相关条款的决心。”

他没有详细说明是哪些情报机构发出了警告。