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Poland limits flights along eastern borders

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UN Security Council to meet on drone incursions, Warsaw

says

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Nawrocki says incursions meant to test NATO

(Adds Germany to strengthen commitments to NATO's eastern

border in paragraphs 3, 16 and 17)

By Pawel Florkiewicz and Barbara Erling

WARSAW, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Poland said on Thursday the

U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss

drone incursions into its airspace which the Polish president

described as an attempt by Russia to test Warsaw and NATO's

response.

Poland also banned drone flights along its eastern borders

with Belarus and Ukraine, and limited small air traffic there,

after shooting down what it said were Russian drones that

violated its airspace on Wednesday.

Poland was backed by its NATO allies in shooting down the

drones - the first time a member of the military alliance is

known to have fired shots during Russia's war in Ukraine - and

Germany said on Thursday it would strengthen its commitment to

NATO's eastern border in response to the incursions.

Russia said it had not intended to hit any targets in

Poland, and that it would make no further comment on the

incident. A senior NATO commander said it was not yet known

whether the drone incursions were intentional.

But the incident has raised questions about NATO's

preparedness against drone attacks, fuelled tensions with Russia

and prompted some Western leaders to seek new sanctions against

Moscow and question its commitment to peace efforts in Ukraine.

"This Russian provocation, as the generals and our soldiers

are well aware, was nothing more than an attempt to test our

capabilities, our ability to respond," Polish President Karol

Nawrocki told soldiers on Thursday.

The Polish foreign ministry said the United Nations Security

Council would meet at Warsaw's request, but did not say when.

The UN did not immediately comment, but Slovenia, Denmark,

Greece, France and Britain have asked the Security Council to

meet on Friday, diplomats said on Wednesday.

Polish F-16 fighter jets, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS

surveillance planes and NATO mid-air refuelling aircraft

scrambled in the operation to shoot down drones in Polish

airspace overnight on Tuesday to Wednesday, officials said.

The debris of 16 drones had so far been recovered, Defence

Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told parliament on Thursday.

He said Poland's logistical support for Ukraine may have

been a motivation for the incursions - most aid for Ukraine

transits via Poland.

"This is an attempt to weaken NATO's and Poland's

willingness to support Ukraine," he said.

SOME AIR TRAFFIC RESTRICTED

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he had

activated Article 4 of NATO's treaty, under which alliance

members can demand consultations with their allies.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Nawrocki on Wednesday,

and the leaders expressed unity. But Washington said little

about the drone incursions on the eve of a prisoner release by

Belarus that followed an appeal by the U.S. president.

European leaders, who want Trump to join them in tightening

sanctions on Russia and boosting support for Kyiv, said the

airspace violations justified a collective response.

Germany said it would intensify support for Ukraine and work

within the European Union towards the swift adoption of more

sanctions against Russia following the drone incursions.

"In addition to existing commitments in the Baltics and

Poland, the government will extend and expand air policing over

Poland," a German government spokesperson said.

The Netherlands is sending 300 soldiers and accelerating

deployment of two out of three Patriot air defence batteries

promised to Poland, and the Czech Republic could send three

helicopters and 100 soldiers, Poland's defence minister said.

Lawmakers from three Baltic nations bordering Russia urged

the U.S. Congress to reject a proposal by Trump that would slash

about $200 million a year in defence support for the region.

"In this region, if America goes out, Russia comes in," said

Zygimantas Pavilionis, Lithuania's former ambassador to the U.S.

Neither Poland nor NATO has yet given a full account of what

they suspect the drones were doing. NATO also faces questions

about whether foreign drones should even be able to enter its

airspace and how well equipped it is to deal with such threats.

Air traffic restrictions imposed by Poland along the borders

with Ukraine and Belarus will apply until December 9, Polish air

traffic authorities said.

Under the restrictions, general aviation - mainly small and

recreational aircraft and helicopters - will be restricted and

civilian uncrewed aircraft, such as drones, are banned.

Commercial passenger flights in the area are not affected

but the drone incursions have reignited safety concerns over the

vulnerability of civil air transport in Europe.

"This is going to be an ongoing issue for all airlines and

all European citizens for the next number of years," said

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary.