War

Polish PM Tusk: 'We will shoot down objects that violate our airspace'

Drone attacks hit Crimea causing three deaths and sixteen injuries, while a fire broke out at an electrical substation in Krasnodar. Moscow claims downing of 114 Ukrainian aircraft

22 September 2025

Un agente di polizia ispeziona il sito di un’impresa privata colpita da un attacco con droni russi, durante l’attacco della Russia all’Ucraina, nella regione di Kiev, Ucraina, 22 settembre 2025. Servizio stampa del Servizio di emergenza statale dell’Ucraina nella regione di Kiev/Handout via REUTERS

4' min read

Key points

Crimea, attack in Foros: three killed and sixteen injured
Moscow: 114 Ukrainian drones intercepted overnight
"Ukrainian losses in the LPR": numbers provided by Moscow
Russian raids on Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Kyiv oblast
Baltic: German fighter jets take off, Tallinn calls Security Council
Moscow accuses: "Nato and the EU fuel terrorism"
Zelensky: we expect further Nato arms supplies

4' min read

Poland will react firmly to violations of its airspace. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, emphasising that Warsaw is 'ready for any decision to shoot down flying objects when they violate our territory and fly over Poland'. However, 'when we are dealing with situations that are not entirely clear, such as the recent overflight of Russian fighter planes over the Petrobaltic oil platform - but without any violation, because these are not our territorial waters - we really have to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of the conflict'.

The UK Foreign Minister, Yvette Cooper, speaking at the UN Security Council meeting requested by Estonia after the incursion of Moscow's jets into its airspace said that 'if we have to deal with the incursion of aircraft operating in NATO airspace without permission, we will do so'. Cooper warned Vladimir Putin against the risk of an armed confrontation with NATO.

Mike Waltz, in his first speech as US ambassador to the UN, speaking at the Security Council meeting on the Russian incursion into Estonian skies confirmed that "the US and allies will defend every inch of NATO territory". "This incident, and the previous one involving Poland, creates the impression that Russia either wants an escalation or is not in control of its war fighters and drones," he added. "Both scenarios are troubling and we are calling for Russia to negotiate directly with Ukraine.

The UN "cannot confirm" the Russian jet overrun in Estonia

"Estonia claims that on 19 September three Russian MIG-31 fighter jets penetrated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes to a depth of 10 kilometres. The United Nations is unable to confirm any of the claims about the incident and does not have any further details." Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas at the UN Department of Political Affairs, told the Security Council on Monday. "This latest development follows reports of violations of Polish and Romanian airspace by Russian drones," he added, "The series of incidents further underscores the already high tensions that threaten European security as the war continues to rage in Ukraine. "Violations of the airspace of sovereign countries are unacceptable. We again urge all concerned to act responsibly and take immediate measures to de-escalate tensions. The world cannot afford for such a danger to spiral out of control and for the devastating war in Ukraine to further escalate and expand."

Meanwhile, falling drone debris triggered a fire at an electrical substation in Staraoderevyankovskaya, in the Krasnodar territory of Russia, east of the Sea of Azov. The emergency services, via Telegram, report that there are no injuries and that teams are working to secure the area.

Crimea, attack in Foros: three dead and sixteen injured

A drone attack hit the tourist resort of Foros, in Crimea. The local leader Sergey Aksyonov speaks of three dead and sixteen wounded; an infirmary and a school were also hit, with a fire developing near Yalta. The Russian Defence Ministry had previously indicated two dead and fifteen wounded, calling the operation a 'deliberate terrorist attack against civilian targets'.

Moscow: 114 Ukrainian drones intercepted in the night

The Russian Defence Ministry claims that the air defence has shot down 114 UAVs in several regions: 25 over Rostov, 25 over Krasnodar, 19 over Belgorod, 13 over Astrakhan, 10 over Crimea, 7 over Bryansk, 5 over the Azov Sea, 3 each over Yaroslavl and Volgograd, 2 over the Black Sea and one each over Kursk and Voronezh. The figures are not independently verifiable.

"Ukrainian losses in the LPR": numbers provided by Moscow

Military expert Andrey Marochko, quoting the Russian Ministry of Defence, says that in the last week along the front line of the so-called Lugansk People's Republic Ukrainian forces, including foreign mercenaries, reportedly lost some 4,450 fighters, 110 more than the previous week. Among the vehicles destroyed were 8 tanks, 50 artillery pieces, 84 electronic warfare and counter-battery positions, 103 ammunition and fuel depots, and over 350 combat vehicles. This is biased data that has not been independently verified.

Russian raids on Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Kyiv oblast

During the night, Russian attacks hit Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and the Kyiv region. In Zaporizhzhia, missiles on civil and industrial infrastructure reportedly caused at least two deaths and two injuries, setting fire to apartment blocks, houses and vehicles. 15 flats, 10 houses and various structures were damaged; one house collapsed and one person may be under the rubble. In Kyiv oblast, fires in residential buildings and a man injured by shrapnel were reported by regional authorities.

Baltic: German fighter jets take off, Tallinn calls Security Council

Two German Eurofighters took off from Rostock-Laage to intercept a Russian Il-20M over the Baltic Sea. According to the Luftwaffe, the reconnaissance aircraft was flying in international airspace with transponders switched off and without answering calls. Estonia announced its intention to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after the violation of its airspace by Russian aircraft.

Moscow accuses: "NATO and the EU are fuelling terrorism"

After the drone attacks in Crimea, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the action "another act of terrorism by the Kiev regime", accusing NATO and the EU of being "at the heart of destabilisation" in Europe through military support to Kyiv. The Russian Defence Ministry claims thatthe area hit in Crimea was touristy and without military infrastructure, and that drones with explosive warheads were used.

Zelensky: we expect further NATO arms supplies

In a video posted on Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that iIn October we expect further funding for this initiative." Ukraine expects further funding for the PURL (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List) initiative, which provides for the rapid delivery of weapons to the country through voluntary contributions from NATO countries.