Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Security Council meeting was initiated by Poland, whose airspace violation by Russian drones last Wednesday was the most serious such incident since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While Poland and its NATO allies reportedly shot down several drones, the incident has heightened tensions in the region and put new threats posed by drone use at the center of diplomatic debate.
On September 10, NATO invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty at Poland's request and held consultations.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes were aimed at military-industrial facilities in Ukraine and that there were no plans to hit facilities in Poland.
The Growing Role of Drones in Conflicts
Reports of an incursion into Polish airspace highlight the growing role of drones in modern conflicts.
Relatively inexpensive and easy to deploy, drones are increasingly complementing, and in some cases replacing, conventional military equipment.
Armies, armed groups and militias around the world are quickly adapting to their use, which allows them to carry out strikes and reconnaissance with less risk to personnel.
However, malfunctions, loss of control and human error can lead to unintended strikes or collisions, especially if UAVs are used in cities rather than on the battlefield.
Analysts also note that the use of drones increases the risk of unintentional escalation and expansion of conflicts.
Rosemary DiCarlo: Incident in Poland threatens diplomatic efforts to end war
"We noted with deep concern reports of Russian military drones intruding into Polish territory and violating Polish airspace," UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council on Friday.
She reiterated the Secretary-General's call on all stakeholders to act responsibly and avoid any actions and rhetoric that could lead to further escalation.
“This disturbing incident comes amid ongoing large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine using missiles and drones,” she said.
“According to President Zelensky, on the night of September 9-10, Russia launched 415 drones and more than 40 cruise and ballistic missiles at 15 regions of Ukraine, which resulted in civilian casualties, including the death of at least one person,” DiCarlo added.
She recalled the events of September 9, when civilians, mostly elderly people who had come to collect their pensions, were killed and wounded in the frontline village of Yarovaya in Donetsk Oblast, and September 7, when civilians were also killed and wounded as a result of Russian attacks on Kyiv, Zaporizhia, Krivoy Rog, Odessa, Sumy and Chernihiv. Among those killed in Kyiv were a woman and her newborn child.
Photo UN/L. Felipe
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo.
In central Kyiv, for the first time since the war began, a government building housing the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers was hit, which DiCarlo said "marked a further escalation of the conflict."
“The growing number of victims is evidence of the escalation of the war,” the Deputy Secretary General said.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 208 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 827 injured in August 2025 alone. The use of short-range drones has resulted in the highest number of casualties: 58 civilians were killed and 272 injured by this type of weapon in August.
August and September, in anticipation of the approaching winter, also saw an increase in attacks on energy infrastructure, particularly gas facilities, DiCarlo noted.
“We are equally concerned about the ongoing impact of the war on civilians in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine and on the territory of the Russian Federation,” the UN deputy chief said.
"On September 8, Russian officials reported that two people were killed and 16 were wounded in a suspected Ukrainian drone strike in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine," DiCarlo said.
The day before, she continued, Russian officials reported that an attack on a children's playground in the same region left six civilians injured, including a 14-year-old girl.
"Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law. They are unacceptable and must stop immediately, wherever they occur," DiCarlo stressed.
This week's events showed how war can impact regional security, she said.
“This incident also jeopardizes recent diplomatic efforts to end this unprovoked and brutal war,” the Deputy Secretary-General said. She reiterated her call for a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
"The end result must be a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace in accordance with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions. The United Nations remains ready to support all genuine efforts in this direction," DiCarlo stressed.
US: 'We will defend every inch of NATO territory'
Photo UN/E. Debebe
"The United States stands with its NATO allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations," said Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea.
She noted that Washington is holding consultations with Poland and other NATO allies in accordance with Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
“Rest assured, we will defend every inch of NATO territory,” she said. Shea also said the incident was not conducive to the extraordinary efforts the United States has made in recent weeks to end the war.
Russia is not interested in escalating tensions with Poland
Photo UN/M. Elias
Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya rejected all accusations against his country related to the incident. He reported that on the night of September 10, Russian Armed Forces struck military-industrial facilities on Ukrainian territory. "No targets were planned on Polish territory," he reported. "The range of the drones used in the strike did not exceed 700 kilometers, which makes it physically impossible for them to enter Polish territory."
At the same time, according to him, the Russian Defense Ministry expressed readiness for professional dialogue and consultations with the Polish Defense Ministry. The Russian Foreign Ministry, in turn, is also ready to join this work. "We call on our Polish colleagues to take advantage of this offer, and not engage in "megaphone diplomacy" on multilateral platforms," the diplomat emphasized. "We have repeatedly stated that we are not interested in escalating tensions with Warsaw. We repeat this now."
France on the incident: "Unacceptable escalation" by Russia
Photo UN/E. Debebe
France placed full responsibility for the incident on Moscow. The country's permanent representative to the UN, Jerome Bonnafon, noted that the drones reached the Gdansk region, 700 km from the Ukrainian border, damaged a residential building and led to the closure of airports. Paris assessed the incident as an "unacceptable escalation" on the part of Russia, expressed solidarity with Poland and announced an immediate increase in support for its air defense. Bonnafon stressed that France and its EU and NATO allies will not succumb to Russian "intimidation."
According to Bonnafon, Ukraine has already agreed to the principle of an immediate ceasefire, while Moscow “chooses the path of escalation,” ignoring UN General Assembly resolutions and diplomatic efforts, including initiatives by US President Donald Trump.
UK: 'Russian aggression only strengthens NATO unity'
Photo UN/E. Schneider
The UK's ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, called the incident "a flagrant violation of Polish and NATO airspace by Russian drones."
"The United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with Poland and Ukraine – our Foreign Secretary is in Kyiv today to this end," she said.
The diplomat added that Britain would continue to work with NATO allies "to protect every inch of allied territory."
"Russian aggression only strengthens the unity of NATO countries and our determination to support Ukraine," she said.
Woodward also said the UK assessed that the drones were Russian: "We categorically reject Russia's attempts to deny what happened and downplay the seriousness of this incident."
"We call on Russia to end its brutal and illegal war and begin constructive negotiations," she said.
EU: 'This is an aggressive and reckless act'
Photo UN/E. Debebe
The Ambassador of the European Union to the UN, Stavros Lambrinidis, expressed full solidarity with Poland on behalf of the EU.
“The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the deliberate violation of the airspace of one of our Member States by Russian drones on 10 September,” he said. “This is an aggressive and reckless act, part of a wider escalation by Russia.”
This incident, said Stavros Lambrinidis, only strengthens “the EU’s determination to support Ukraine and its people in their defence against Russia and in their quest for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.”
The EU ambassador promised to "significantly strengthen sanctions against Russia and those who help it" and work with international partners to pressure Russia to end the war.
Poland 'will not succumb to intimidation'
Polish Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki called on the Security Council in his speech to "respond to Russia's criminal actions with a unified, unequivocal and immediate condemnation." Such condemnation, he said, should serve as an important preventive measure to de-escalate the situation and deter further actions of this kind.
“As for Russia, we expect it to take full responsibility for this unjustified act, fully explain the reasons for the invasion and take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future,” Bosacki said. “The path to achieving this goal is simple: stop your barbaric war against Ukraine. Poland will not be intimidated. Our determination to support Ukraine and defend the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity remains unwavering.”
Ukraine "in solidarity with the Polish people"
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Andriy Melnyk reminded members of the Security Council that Resolution 2774, adopted in February and calling for a speedy end to the conflict, has not yet been implemented. According to him, Ukraine, despite its disappointment with the text, is ready to comply with the document, unlike Russia, which ignored the vote.
According to Melnyk, the situation has only worsened in the past 201 days, with Ukraine “further from peace than ever before” and civilian suffering reaching catastrophic levels. Last month, the civilian death toll hit a record high since the start of the full-scale invasion.
According to Melnik, Russia deliberately escalated the situation by sending drones into Polish airspace. He expressed solidarity with the Polish people and warned that similar attacks could reach Berlin, Paris or London tomorrow.
Belarus "was the first to warn the Polish side about the approach of drones"
The official representative of Belarus declared his commitment to a peaceful settlement of the conflict and expressed hope that the recent summit of the presidents of Russia and the United States in Alaska would bring results. Minsk stressed the importance of a ceasefire and the consolidation of agreements with clear guarantees for both sides.
At the same time, the representative of Belarus rejected Poland's accusations of involvement in the incident with the drones on September 10. Belarus insists that it was the first to warn the Polish side about the approach of the drones, which lost their course due to electronic interference. Some of the devices were destroyed by the Belarusian air defense, and information was exchanged with Poland and Lithuania during the night.
The Belarusian diplomat stressed the open nature of his country's actions and readiness to cooperate, adding that even the Polish military acknowledged the warning. Belarus will continue to exchange information on the air situation with Poland and the Baltic states as a contribution to regional security and confidence-building.
The speaker criticized Poland's decision to close its land border with Belarus. Minsk believes that Warsaw's actions destabilize the situation in the region. The Belarusian diplomat called on the UN to "react."
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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