Poland’s Defense Minister Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamisz announced on Tuesday that the country was tightening security at its border with Ukraine after Russian drone attacks near the crossing raised concerns among NATO allies.
“Recent actions have shown that Russia’s actions threaten the security of all of Europe. In accordance with the decisions of our government, the infrastructure used by border guards has been strengthened,” Kosiniak-Kamish wrote in X after two strikes over the weekend, one of which crashed into a train in which a group of former Western officials were traveling through the region.
“Soldiers from the 18th Engineer Regiment are already performing their duties, which will strengthen checkpoints and infrastructure near the Polish-Ukrainian border.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday confirmed two airstrikes near the Polish border, claiming the trains were transporting military supplies.
Earlier Tuesday, military officials from fellow NATO member Lithuania announced the first downing of a drone in the country’s airspace.
Lithuania’s Defense Ministry said the drone was equipped with an explosive device and was neutralized by bomb disposal experts. The ministry told CNN that an investigation is underway to determine the source of the drone.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crossetto said an Italian NATO fighter jet shot down the drone, adding: “It probably came from Russia.” Italy’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that it was the second incident involving Italian fighter jets in the past month.
“It is precisely because of incidents like this that the presence of our military in the eastern region is extremely important to ensure the safety of local communities,” Crossett said.
Also on Tuesday, the Danish military said a Danish military helicopter was taking routine photos of ships in international waters on Monday when a Russian warship fired two emergency flares.
After the incident, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibikha expressed support for Denmark “in the wake of Russia’s provocative and unacceptable actions.”
“Moscow continues its attempts to destabilize not only Denmark but Europe,” he added in a post on X, calling for joint and decisive action to protect Europe from the Russian threat.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Monday that attacks near NATO territory reflected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation” and his desire to “instill fear and terror.”
Prime Minister Rutte pledged to strengthen the defense of the 32-nation alliance along the border with Russia and its close ally Belarus.
Meanwhile, the United States appears to be working to prevent Ukraine and Russia from meeting each other’s energy goals amid concerns about rising global fuel prices. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the two countries had agreed to halt energy-related attacks, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the Kremlin later said it was a proposal rather than a firm agreement.
Ukraine has been hammering Russia’s fuel infrastructure for months, significantly reducing Moscow’s refining capacity and causing widespread supply shortages. In response, Russia banned the sale of diesel abroad.
“There is a strong proposal from the US side to mutually stop attacks on critical infrastructure,” President Zelenskiy said Monday night. “Ukraine stands ready to support de-escalation if this is the first step in de-escalating tensions, a step towards ending Russian attacks on our critical infrastructure and in response.”
CNN’s Lauren Kent and Stefano Pozebon contributed to this report
