NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Russian drone strikes near the Ukraine-Poland border demonstrated Moscow’s growing desperation and would prompt the alliance to increase its support for Ukraine. He also pledged stronger defences along NATO’s long eastern border with Russia.
A Russian drone struck a passenger train near the border on Sunday, shortly after European diplomats, including former British prime minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, had used the same railway line. The supplied material says the strike narrowly missed a train carrying diplomats, but gives no further detail about casualties or damage.
Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday, Rutte described the strikes as occurring “close to NATO territory” and said they showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation” and desire to spread fear. He called Russia increasingly reckless as its war against Ukraine continued.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the attacks were clearly intended to frighten Western countries away from supporting Ukraine. She said European governments should demonstrate that they would continue standing with Kyiv and were not intimidated.
Poland said it would increase security along its border with Ukraine after a wave of Russian drone strikes, including two that landed within kilometres of Polish territory, according to the supplied material. Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Moscow appeared ready to intensify attacks against Ukraine’s borders with European countries and said the coming weeks and months could bring a sharp escalation.
Polish officials also reported possible signs of wider security risks. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the army had recovered what was believed to be a Russian military drone from the Baltic Sea. Polish officials cited intelligence assessments, including a CIA briefing, that Russia could target border points and increase sabotage inside European countries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian forces would continue operating across Ukraine, while Polish officials discussed a possible joint response with NATO allies.