Consequences and complications of Russian drones in NATO airspace Poland’s decision to shoot down Russian aerial assets was unprecedented for NATO’s eastern flank. During the night of September 9th and 10th 2025, Russian aerial attack systems entered Polish airspace, which in effect meant a violation of NATO airspace. Not all drones that violated Polish airspace were neutralized, however – the exact number remains unknown. However, there has been an increase in the number of both intentional and unintentional violations of NATO airspace in recent years. It should be noted that the decision to shoot down Russian aerial assets was itself unprecedented for NATO’s eastern flank.