Kremlin officials warn NATO is already “at war with Russia” after Polish airspace was violated by Russian drones, raising fears of escalation across Europe.
Rising Tensions Between Russia and NATO
Tensions between Russia and NATO nations have intensified after Poland reported Russian drones crossing its airspace during a recent strike on Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the incident a “large-scale provocation”, warning citizens to prepare for “various scenarios” if the conflict escalates further.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence has claimed the drones were only targeting Ukrainian positions, denying any intention to strike Poland.
Chilling Warning From Medvedev
On Monday, September 15, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Head of Russia’s Security Council and close ally of President Vladimir Putin, issued a stark warning.
Speaking on Telegram, Medvedev mocked NATO’s Eastern Sentry initiative, a new defensive measure aimed at protecting Eastern European allies, before issuing a chilling statement:
“The implementation of the provocative idea of creating a no-fly zone over Ukraine and the ability for NATO countries to shoot down our UAVs will mean only one thing — a war between NATO and Russia.”
Kremlin Declares NATO ‘At War’
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also escalated rhetoric, insisting NATO is already directly involved in the conflict.
He told reporters:
“NATO is de facto involved in this war. NATO is providing direct and indirect support to the Kyiv regime. It can be said with absolute certainty that NATO is fighting against Russia.”
NATO Responds With Eastern Sentry
Following the drone incident, NATO confirmed the launch of Eastern Sentry, a multi-domain defense initiative aimed at deterring further violations.
In a statement, NATO said:
“The activity, which will commence in the coming days and continue for an undisclosed amount of time, is in response to ongoing airspace violations, including the numerous Russian drones that violated Poland’s airspace on September 10.”
Poland Pushes for NATO Article 4
In response, Poland has requested consultations under NATO’s Article 4, which allows any member nation to call for immediate talks when its territorial integrity or security is threatened.
The move could bring NATO allies closer to a united response, raising concerns of further escalation between Moscow and the West.
