Poland warns Russia may use captured Ukrainian drones for false-flag attacks, convenes security committee

The warning

Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Monday that Russia has captured a large number of Ukrainian drones and may use them as a tool of provocation, staging attacks designed to obscure their origin. He described the tactic as an effort to "confuse and change the flag," pointing to a new phase in what Warsaw and its allies call Moscow's hybrid war against countries supporting Kyiv. The minister stressed that the threat from Russia remains "constantly very high" and that he would never declare a state of calm.

Russia has now captured a significant number of Ukrainian drones and, in my view, may use them as a provocative element, to confuse and change the flag.

Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that similar warnings have been raised in recent weeks by foreign minister Radosław Sikorski and, on Monday, by Lithuanian intelligence. The defence chief said partners across NATO's eastern flank (the Baltic states, Finland, and Romania) are reporting the same threat picture.

Security committee convenes

The Polish government's security committee will meet on Tuesday, 21 July, at 8:00 to address the drone threat alongside broader Russian hybrid activity. Kosiniak-Kamysz said the session will focus on threats from the Russian Federation, strengthening cyber-defence, and protecting critical infrastructure. The meeting signals an operational response to intelligence assessments that Moscow is escalating its pressure on NATO's eastern border.

Baltic intercepts and GPS jamming

The minister cited three incidents in the past week alone in which Polish and Swedish fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. He added that Poland faces constant probing of its air-defence systems and critical infrastructure, singling out online operations and GPS signal jamming as persistent tactics. These episodes, he argued, form part of a broader escalation ladder that Russia is climbing step by step.

We are constantly dealing with tests of the resilience of our air defence systems and critical infrastructure, especially in the area of online activities and GPS jamming.

Sabotage arrests on Polish soil

Kosiniak-Kamysz pointed to ongoing sabotage attempts inside Poland, citing arrests by the Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) as evidence that Russia has not altered its tactics. He framed the detentions as proof that Moscow continues to pursue destabilisation across Europe, a pattern EU and Polish officials have repeatedly flagged since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Tactics attributed to the Kremlin include arson, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.

NATO solidarity pledge

The deputy prime minister reiterated that Poland would honour its alliance commitments if any NATO member were attacked, stating there is "no doubt" about Polish solidarity. He added that Warsaw expects the same from its allies. The remarks come as the government prepares to brief the security committee on the drone threat and broader Russian escalation, reinforcing the message that the danger spans the entire eastern flank of the Alliance.

In the event of an attack on any NATO state, Poland will demonstrate the principle of solidarity and will support that state; there are no two opinions about it.