No outright denial from Moscow, but an offer to discuss it with Warsawpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

The Kremlin said earlier that it would be a matter for theRussian defence ministry to comment on what happened in Poland.

Now it has.

In a statement, Russia’s military says that last night itcarried out “a mass strike” on military-industrial targets in Western Ukraine,including with attack drones.

It goes on to insist that “there had been no plans to targetfacilities on the territory of Poland”.

“The maximum range of the Russian drones that allegedlycrossed into Poland does not exceed 700 km,” the statement continues.

“Nevertheless, we are ready to hold consultations with thePolish defence ministry on this subject.”

“No plans to…” isn’t quite the same as “didn’t…”

So, no outright denial from Moscow. But an offer to discussthe matter further with Warsaw.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Russia’s defence ministry says it did not plan to attack any targets in Poland, after Warsaw said 19 Russian drones entered its airspace during overnight attacks on western Ukraine.

Ina daily update on strikes against Ukraine, it says: “No objects on Polish territory were planned to betargeted.

“The maximum range of UAVs used in the strike [on Ukraine] does notexceed 700 km [435 miles].

“Nonetheless, we are ready to hold consultations with the Polishdefence ministry on the subject.”

Judging by last night, Poland’s success rate is much lower than Ukraine’spublished at 13:13 British Summer Time

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

If Poland managed to shoot down only four out of 19 (or twodozen, according to President Zelensky) drones that crossed into its airspace,that’s a much lower success rate than demonstrated by Ukraine.

Ukraine hasconsistently intercepted the vast majority of drones sent by Russia over thepast years – for instance, 386 out of 415 (or 93%) this morning.

Hardlyimpressive performance by Poland, especially given how much more hardware ithad at its disposal.

• Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland is at its “closest to open conflict since World War Two”
• He earlier said that between three and four of 19 drones that crossed into Polish territory were shot down by Polish and Nato aircraft
• Poland’s interior ministry later said seven drones and the remains of an unidentified object had been found across Poland
• One drone was found inLodz province, over 240 km (149 miles) west of the border withBelarus, from where the drones were launched
• The drones that entered Poland were part of the latest major aerial attack on Ukraine, where Russia launched 415 drones overnight
• European leaders have been widely condemnatory. Nato chief Mark Rutte called Russia’s violation of Polish airspace “reckless behaviour”, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was another “step of escalation”

• The Kremlin said it wouldn’t comment, after a Russian diplomat in Poland rejected claims of drones in Polish airspace, according to state media

Images are reaching us now of Polish officials at work after authorities reported having found seven drones and the remains of an unidentified object in sites across the country.

The public is being urged not to approach any wreckage they come across and report it to emergency services.

Russia’s violation of Poland’s airspace is “reckless behaviour”, irrespective of whether it was deliberate, says Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte.

In a statement, Rutte says Nato allies have expressed full solidarity with Poland. He adds that a full assessment is ongoing.

Several Nato allies were involved in shooting down the Russian drones, says Rutte, including the Netherlands, Italy, Poland and Germany.

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

The Kremlinhas made its first comment on the situation in Poland…but only to say it won’tcomment.

“We wouldn’tlike to comment on this,” says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on his dailyconference call with journalists.

“This is not for us to do so. It’s a matterfor the [Russian] defence ministry.”

When askedabout the accusations being levelled at Moscow, Peskov replies: “Theleadership of the EU and Nato accuse Russia of provocations on a daily basis,usually without backing this up.”

Katy Austin
Transport correspondent

Early this morning, a number of flights which had been due to land at Warsaw Chopin airport from various locations – including Gran Canaria, Toyko and Paris – were diverted.

Warsaw Chopin is Poland’s biggest airport.Now there are numerous delays showing on the airport’s arrivals board. For example, a Wizz flight from Copenhagen which had been due to arrive at 10:10 local time, is now due at 12:01.

A few cancellations are showing up too, but mostly delays.It’s a similar picture with departures – widespread delays, a few cancellations. For airlines, any substantial delays can have a knock-on impact on the rest of the day’s operations.

West’s response not enough to make Putin fear sending drones to Polandpublished at 11:28 British Summer Time

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

This is yet another example of the Western policy ofescalation management failing.

For years, the West’s response to Russianattacks in Ukraine has been moderated by fears of provoking Moscow into doingsomething even more aggressive and violent.

These fears – as well as financialconstraints – have stopped Ukraine’s allies from providing it with more andbetter weapons, let alone deploying boots on the ground.

But the Kremlin is free from such concerns. It has putRussia’s economy on a war footing, and is unafraid to escalate by stepping upair attacks on Ukraine, targeting civilians, or involving North Korean troops.

The response we have seen from the West so far is not enough to make Putinfear consequences should he decide to send drones into Poland.

Donald Tusk says Poland is at its closest to open conflict than at any time since World War Two.

“I have no reason to claim we’re on the brink of war, but aline has been crossed, and it’s incomparably more dangerous thanbefore,” the Polish prime minsters tells parliament.

“This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two”.

Adam Easton
Warsaw correspondent

Authorities in Poland have found seven drones and the remains of an unidentified object in sites across the country following the multiple incursions of Polish airspace overnight, an interior ministry spokeswoman says.

Karolina Galecka tells a news conference that five of the drones and the remains of the unidentified object were found in different locations across Lublin province, in eastern Poland, which borders Belarus and Ukraine.

She says the remaining two drones were discovered in central and northern Poland, much further from the borders:

• One was discovered in a field in Mniszków, in Łódź province in central Poland, about 250 km (155 miles) from the Belarusian border
• Another was discovered near the city of Elbląg in northern Poland

French President Emmanuel Macron describes the incursion as “simply unacceptable”, adding that he will soon meet Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The European Council’s president, Antonio Costa, says Europe is increasing investment in its defence following Russia’s “reckless” actions. “Peace and security in Europe cannot be taken for granted,” he adds

Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minster, calls the air incursion “unacceptable”. Orbán is the only EU leader to have kept close ties to the Kremlin following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Petr Fiala, the Czech prime minster, says it’s “hard to believe” that last night’s Russian drone attack on Poland was a coincidence. He accuses Russia of “systematically probing to see how far it can go”.

Alexander Stubb, Finland’s president, claims that Russia “seeks escalation” and “carries responsibility” for violating Poland’s air space.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs also expresses his full support and solidarity to Ukraine, emphasising that allies “must be working together”.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned “barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones”.

“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day,” he says in a statement.

He has been in touch with the Polish prime minister to show support, Starmer adds.

“We will continue to ramp up the pressure on Putin until there is a just and lasting peace.”

Meanwhile in London, UK Defence Secretary John Healey will host his German, Polish, French, Italian and Ukrainian counterparts – members of the European Group of Five (E5) – for talks.

We’re expecting them to host a joint press conference at 14:00 BST.

In another update from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leader says the first crossing of the border into Poland by a Russian drone occurred at 00:50 local time (23:50 BST).

He writes on X that “at least two Russian drones that entered Polish territory during the night used Belarusian airspace”.

This “may be greater than the previously announced figure”, he says.

• As a reminder, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said the Polish military recorded 19 drone incursions in the country’s airspace overnight

Drones were “apparently” approaching targets in Poland as well as in Ukraine, he adds.

He says updated data suggests there were at least two dozen Russian drones that could have entered Polish airspace. Ukraine is working on verifying this, he adds.

Adam Easton
Warsaw Correspondent

Writing on X, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “My thanks and congratulations to the Polish Operational Command and our Nato pilots for shooting down Russian drones over Poland.

“Actions speak louder than words.”

The security of Polish airspace has been stabilised and the threat level is back to normal, the operational command of its armed forces has said.

It says its radar and ground-based air defence systems have also returned to their standard activities.

The statement adds that it is continuing to monitor the situation in Ukraine – where it’s “observing further strikes” by Russia – and remains in “constant readiness” to protect Poland’s airspace.

Images are coming into us now from the Polish village of Wyryki, in the south-eastern Lublin province – one of three classed as vulnerable overnight.

Pictures appear to show a house damaged by the drones, in addition to a significant emergency service and military presence.

The BBC has not independently verified the locations or damage from any drones.

Sarah Rainsford
Eastern Europe correspondent, in Kyiv

Ukrainian officials have no doubt that this was a deliberate move by Russia and they’re calling for a strong response.

Writing on X, President Zelensky warns that Moscow always escalates and “tests the limits of the possible”.

He says “at least eight” Iranian-built Shahed attack drones were “aimed in the direction of Poland”. Poland has not yet disclosed details.

Zelensky calls it “an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe”.

The Russian drones that entered Poland were part of the latest major aerial attack on Ukraine.

In total, the air force here reports that more than 400 drones and 42 cruise missiles were launched.

The attack began just before midnight and here in Kyiv lasted throughout the night.

First we heard the air defences working, shooting down drones, then warnings of missiles across the country.

Zelensky says in Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, a sewing workshop was hit and three people were injured. We’re still waiting for more details.

Poland is one of 32 members of the security alliance Nato (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).

One of its core principles is that an attack against one or more members will be considered an attack against all – known as Article 5.

All member states – including the US and the UK – restated their “ironclad commitment to collective defence” at the Nato summit in June.

Nato doesn’t have its own army, but member states can take collective military action in response to international crises.

It was formed in 1949 with the primary aim of blocking the Soviet Union from expanding in Europe.

• You can read more about how Nato works here