Russia should not complain if its missiles or fighter jets are destroyed after breaching Nato airspace, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on September 22 at the United Nations Security Council in New York.

The Polish minister’s rebuke followed a Russian incursion into Estonia last week, when three MiG-31 aircraft crossed into Estonian airspace for 12 minutes before being forced out by Italian F-35s. It also came on the heels of Russian drone violations over Poland and Romania earlier this month. 

“I have only one request to the Russian government: if another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on Nato territory, please don’t come here to whine about it. You have been warned,” Sikorski said.

At a briefing after the UN session, Sikorski clarified that Poland was not issuing a blanket commitment but a warning grounded in the principle of self-defence. 

“If it happens over Nato territory and the wreckage falls on Nato territory, then under international law we acted in self-defence and Russia will have no right to complain,” Sikorski said.

The repeated breaches of Nato airspace are seen as Moscow’s probing of Nato’s resolve. 

Russia said at the Security Council's session that its jets never violated Estonia’s airspace and described the European reaction to recent incidents as “paranoid” and fuelled by “Russophobia”.

“We know you don’t care for international law, and you are incapable of living in peace with your neighbours. Your insane nationalism ... will not cease until you realise that the age of empires is over and that your empire will not be rebuilt,” Sikorski said in response.

“Russia clearly feels it can act with impunity in Ukraine, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the whole of eastern Europe,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also said in New York. “Russia’s neighbours, not unreasonably, fear they could be next.”

The United States sought to reassure allies. “The United States and our allies will defend every inch of Nato territory. Russia must urgently stop such dangerous behaviour,” said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier on the same day that Poland would shoot down enemy aircraft over its territory.

“I want to be very clear. We will make a decision to shoot down flying objects without discussion when they violate our territory and fly over Poland. There is no room for debate here,” Tusk said.

Russia sent 21 drones into Polish airspace on September 10. Polish air force downed those it considered a direct threat to people or infrastructure. There were no casualties or major damage but the incursion highlighted Nato's need for a better response to drone attacks.