Tusk Warns of New Russian Drones, Hybrid Attacks

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia is deploying a new generation of jet-powered drones capable of flying at high altitudes and much higher speeds.

Speaking in the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament, Tusk described the drones as being introduced on a large scale and warned that few countries were currently equipped to counter them effectively. He also announced that he would travel to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss cooperation within an anti-ballistic missile coalition, drawing on Ukraine’s battlefield experience.

Tusk said hopes for an energy truce had failed to materialize and warned that Russia was expected to continue intensive attacks on Ukraine’s economy, energy infrastructure and logistics.

Citing intelligence assessments, he also warned that Russia was planning hybrid drone and missile attacks against countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland. Drones or missiles could enter NATO territory and cause damage, with Moscow then presenting the incidents as accidental.

According to Tusk, the aim would be to weaken NATO’s cohesion and convince member states that Article 5 was more theoretical than practical. He also pointed to the possibility of political shifts as European countries head to the polls, describing some political forces as “openly pro-Russian”.

(max)