EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russian drones had violated Polish airspace on Wednesday (10 September) calling the attack "reckless".
"Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland," Von der Leyen told members of the European Parliament.
She condemned Russia's actions. "We have all seen what Russia means by diplomacy. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin refuses to meet (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. Last week, Russia launched the largest number of drones and ballistic missiles in a single attack. Yesterday, there was a missile attack on a village in Donetsk, targeting people waiting to pick up their pensions. More than 20 were killed," she said.
"And just today, we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe's airspace by more than 10 Russian Shahed drones," von der Leyen added.
She said that the EU was now working on a 19th sanctions package, looking at ways to phase out Russian fossil fuels faster.
Poland's airspace was violated by a number of Russian drones, and those that posed a direct threat were shot down, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
The move marks the first time a member of the NATO alliance has fired shots in the war.
“This is the first time Russian drones have been shot down over the territory of a NATO country. Therefore, all our allies are taking the situation very seriously. We have not recorded any casualties,” Tusk said.
“Of course, the search for debris from the downed drones is ongoing," Tusk added.
"We are slowly reopening airports. The closure of airports was not caused by a threat or an attack on airports, but was necessitated by the operational needs of our pilots."
He has also declared that Poland is fully prepared to respond to any attacks or provocations following the incident in which Polish forces shot down Russian drones that had entered the country’s airspace.
"We are ready to repel such provocations and attacks; we are well prepared, and the situation is serious. Today, no one can doubt that we must prepare for various scenarios.”
President Zelenskyy reported that at least eight Russian drones targeted Poland during a massive Russian overnight assault on Ukraine, highlighting the use of Iranian-made Shahed drones by Russia.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of December, covering the latest developments you need to...
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are pres...
Heavy artillery fire and deadly skirmishes have shattered a fragile ceasefire agreement along the disputed frontier between Southeast Asian neighbours...
The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, citing a sharp surge in civilian c...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he was prepared to hold elections within three months if the U.S. and Kyiv's other allies coul...
Heavy artillery fire and deadly skirmishes have shattered a fragile ceasefire agreement along the disputed frontier between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia, forcing massive evacuations of people to safety and drawing urgent calls for de-escalation from the international community.
The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, citing a sharp surge in civilian casualties amidst Russia's intensified aerial attacks, marking the deadliest period of the war in more than a year.
Australia on Wednesday became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access to platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Authorities in Japan lifted all tsunami warnings on Tuesday following a strong 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck off the northeastern coast late on Monday, injuring at least 30 people and forcing around 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Scores of demonstrators gathered outside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo Tuesday (9 December) to protest against the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Pressure is mounting between Venezuela and the United States as both nations emphasise military preparedness and strategic positioning.
Tehran has protested to Washington because of the travel ban on its football team delegation as well as Iranian fans who would like to travel to the United States for the upcoming World Cup matches in 2026.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O) has launched a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O). The escalation follows a high-stakes battle that had appeared to end last week when Netflix secured a $72 billion deal for the studio giant’s assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are presented in Stockholm and Oslo.
Heavy artillery fire and deadly skirmishes have shattered a fragile ceasefire agreement along the disputed frontier between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia, forcing massive evacuations of people to safety and drawing urgent calls for de-escalation from the international community.
The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings about the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, citing a sharp surge in civilian casualties amidst Russia's intensified aerial attacks, marking the deadliest period of the war in more than a year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he was prepared to hold elections within three months if the U.S. and Kyiv's other allies could ensure the security of the vote.
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