Warsaw turns to Ukraine to upgrade its drone warfare expertise

Poland is learning from Ukraine’s battle-hardened experience of drone warfare, and will set up joint military training and drone-related manufacturing projects, according to officials from Warsaw and Kyiv. The announcement comes within a week of Russian drones having penetrated Polish airspace, incursions that exposed just how vulnerable NATO is to the new range of uncrewed air attack systems.

Used for defence and attack purposes, drones have played a key role since the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. The evolving technology has transformed how war is waged, and countries are keener than ever to master its intricacies. 

Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal and his visiting Polish counterpart Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz plan to establish a joint task force on the deployment of uncrewed systems. Writing on Telegram, Shmyhal said the two nations will exchange military experience in the field of drone warfare, devise new ways to intercept drones and focus on how best to enhance compatibility between their respective armed forces. 

According to the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan Governor Radiy Khabirov, two Ukrainian drones attacked and set fire to a Gazprom-owned oil refinery there. The refinery is more than 1,000 kilometres from Ukraine.

In Warsaw, Poland’s Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said there had been “increased activity of Belarusian and Russian drones” attempting “to cross into Polish airspace” on Wednesday night. Stressing that none had succeeded, the minister declared that the border would remain closed until Warsaw could be sure no further provocations would ensue. Ukraine’s air defences shot down or jammed 48 out of 75 Russian drones launched at the country overnight, its air force declared.  

Meanwhile, after a visit to the Donetsk area, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine’s recent counteroffensive there has regained some 160 square kilometres of territory, including seven settlements, with almost 100 Russian prisoners taken. 

Meeting with Russia’s political party leaders yesterday, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow currently has more than 700,000 troops on the front line. 

In long-planned joint military exercises with Belarus, Moscow’s recent display of conventional and nuclear military power added to Western concerns about Russia’s intentions. NATO is currently strengthening its defensive posture along its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.