Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Thursday (September 17, 2026) that Russia is planning hybrid strikes with drones or rockets on European countries supporting Ukraine, among them Poland.
Mr. Tusk has been for months warning that Russia might be preparing a more serious hybrid attack against a NATO country. In recent days, Mr. Mr. “They are convinced the winter will be tragically critical for Ukraine.
Because it was increasingly using jet-powered drones, which fly higher and faster and thus are more difficult to detect by air defense before reaching their targets, he said Russia was more dangerous.
Russia will pretend the attacks are “accidental” in order to “paralyze or at least weaken the motivation of NATO countries” to rush to the defence of the member state coming under attack, Mr. Tusk said in a speech to the Polish Parliament. His warnings have gotten increasingly specific as he received intelligence from NATO, Ukrainian and U.S. secret services, including the CIA, he said. Tusk has said Russia was now focusing on attacking border crossings between Ukraine and its European neighbors in order to disrupt delivery lines to Ukraine. Tusk said at the moment Russia was not ready for any peace talks “without the total capitulation of Ukraine. Earlier reporting noted: “The Russian plan, according to intelligence assessments … includes hybrid strikes using drones and missiles on countries supporting Ukraine, including Poland,” he told deputies. Earlier reporting noted: Russia’s plans in the war against Ukraine include “hybrid” drone and missile strikes against Kyiv’s allies, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday.
Earlier reporting noted: Tusk made his comments while in a speech to the Polish parliament.
In Kyiv, he said he would discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy how to defend against the new types of drones as well as discuss with partners including Slovakia about further sanctions against Russia.
He said last winter Poland stepped in with deliveries when Ukraine’s energy infrastructure came under attack, but if border crossings are destroyed, it will be much harder for Warsaw to offer such help this upcoming winter. “Russia’s goal is to destroy as much as possible the economy and logistics of Ukraine,” Mr. Tusk said, adding that intelligence indicates continuous attacks of “very high frequency and intensity” on six main Ukrainian cities should be expected in the near future.
