Map | What we know about the Russian drones shot down in Poland
Debris from the aircraft, which Russia is increasingly using in Ukraine, has fallen in at least four towns in the east of the country
Poland shot down several Russian drones on Wednesday that had entered its territory amid the invasion of Ukraine. This is the first time a NATO member — the military alliance of European and North American countries — has fired on such targets since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said 19 “intrusions” were detected. The first occurred around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the last around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
At least four drones were shot down by the Polish military. Local media reported Wednesday morning that wreckage from the drones has been found in eastern towns such as Zamosc, Polatycze, Cześniki, and Wyryki, where one home was damaged. Poland has temporarily closed its airspace and urged residents in the Podlachia, Masovia, and Lublin regions to stay indoors
Increasing numbers of Russian drones
The intrusion into Polish airspace comes three days after Russia carried out its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the conflict in 2022. Early Sunday morning, Moscow launched a wave of attacks with more than 800 drones, hitting nearly all regions of Ukraine. This barrage was not an isolated incident, but part of a broader trend: Russian drone attacks in the invasion of Ukraine have increased significantly in recent months.
In December 2024, the average number of drones launched by Russia in a long-range strike against Ukraine was 58 per day. By June 2025, that average had risen to over 180 per day, according to a tally by EL PAÍS based on data released by the Ukrainian Air Force.
What drones does Russia use?
Most of Russia’s air strikes against Ukraine are carried out with Geran-2 drones, an upgraded version of the Iranian Shahed. The main reason for the increased use of these drones is that Russia has vastly expanded its production capacity.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia’s military industry now produces in three days in 2025 the same number of units it used to produce in a month in 2024. As a result, Ukrainian long-range strike drones have targeted Russian drone factories as their number-one objective over the past two months.
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