Poland to Let Forces Target Russian Drones Over Ukraine

Poland is preparing to amend the law on the deployment of military personnel abroad, which will allow its armed forces to engage Russian targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in Ukrainian airspace without obtaining prior approval from NATO or the European Union. The aim of this move is to restore rapid response powers that Warsaw was deprived of by a law passed in 2022.

As reported by Gazeta Wyborcza, the bill, introduced by the Ministry of Defence in June, is likely to be passed through an expedited procedure.

The issue stems from a legislative change made in 2022, a day before Russia's full-scale invasion, by the previous Law and Justice (PiS) party government. That amendment made it mandatory to obtain the consent of NATO, the EU, and the host country for the Polish armed forces to operate abroad. A commission investigating Russian influence later criticized this change, noting that it deprived Warsaw of the right to act independently against UAVs crossing the border from Ukraine or Belarus.

The current ruling coalition intends to remove these restrictions, adopting a "shoot first, ask later" principle. This approach will provide the military with greater flexibility to respond to threats.

The urgency of this initiative is also driven by recent events. In early September, Poland shot down suspected Russian drones that had entered its airspace. This was the first instance of a NATO member country opening fire on Russian objects during the conflict.

Taking all this into account, the legislative change is not only technical but also military-political in nature. Moreover, some experts do not rule out that Poland's experience could be contagious for other Eastern European countries.