NATO raised its alert status to the highest level last Tuesday evening, around 9:30 p.m. local time, following the incursion of Russian drones into its territory. This incident marks one of the most serious security threats faced by the alliance in decades, as detailed by a reconstruction of events.
Throughout the night, over two dozen drones penetrated 250 kilometers into NATO airspace over Poland, with some of these UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) heading towards a crucial NATO logistics hub in Rzeszów, essential for supporting Ukraine.
Timeline of events
The sequence of alarms began at 8:17 p.m. when the NATO air surveillance station in Uedem, a small German town near the Dutch border, detected a swarm of drones flying over Ukraine. Among these were long-range Russian combat drones, characterized by a 2.5-meter wingspan and capable of traveling at speeds of approximately 160 km/h, with an operational range of 600 kilometers, as later confirmed by Polish investigators.
Fifty minutes later, at 9:06 p.m., as the drones continued their trajectory toward Poland, concerns heightened, particularly as five were identified heading directly for the logistics hub. Consequently, NATO forces issued a yellow alert.
By 9:26 p.m., the first drones entered NATO territory, prompting combat units to prepare for action. Just four minutes later, the alert level was escalated to red, indicating an immediate threat.
At 10:04 p.m., NATO’s interceptors, including German Patriot missile defense systems, were on high alert. Poland also deployed F-16 fighter jets alongside several helicopters, including Black Hawks, to bolster defenses.
As the situation continued to unfold, the first drone was neutralized at 1:13 a.m. on Wednesday by a Dutch F-35 fighter jet. By 4:44 a.m., the last of the drones deemed a threat had been eliminated, although several others crashed without intervention. One drone impacted a residential building; fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
“NATO officials do not believe the drones entered airspace by accident; they were likely sent deliberately,” reported a high-ranking NATO official.
In response to the security breach, Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which mandates consultations among member states when a country perceives a threat to the territorial integrity of the alliance.