UK to deploy RAF jets to Poland after Russian drone incursion

The UK will deploy RAF jets to Poland in response to Russian drones violating the country’s airspace.

In an interview with Channel 4 News, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Britain would provide “further air defence over Poland” following last week’s incident in which multiple Russian drones were shot down by Nato forces.

He said: “That is the right thing to do. The wrong thing to do would be to ignore this increased aggression from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, from Russia.

“Because this wasn’t a one-off. You saw only a few weeks ago the bombing of the British Council in Kyiv, the attacking of the EU embassy, and the direct hits on the Council of Ministers in Kyiv itself.”

He added: “It’s absolutely clear that the Russians are ramping up the aggression. It’s very important that, with our Nato allies, we respond appropriately to that and that’s what we’re doing today.”

Typhoon jets from RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, will join Nato’s “Eastern Sentry” mission, flying over Poland alongside aircraft from Denmark, France and Germany.

They will be supported by a Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft from RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The UK is fully committed to playing its part in Eastern Sentry, increasing our military presence on Nato’s eastern flank even further.”

The announcement comes after Russia’s ambassador in London, Andrei Kelin, was summoned by the Foreign Office on Monday over his country’s “unprecedented violation” of Nato airspace.

As well as last week’s incursion over Poland, Romania’s defence ministry said over the weekend that a Russian drone had entered its airspace and been intercepted by two F-16 fighter jets.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the incident over his country had brought Poland “the closest we have been to open conflict since World War Two”.

In response, the UK said it would join Nato efforts to bolster its eastern flank amid concerns Russia would attempt further incursions.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Russia should understand that its continued aggression only strengthens the unity between Nato allies and our determination to stand with Ukraine, and any further incursions will again be met with force.”

Six RAF Typhoon jets had been based in Poland between April and July as part of Nato’s enhanced air policing mission, a task shared between members of the alliance.

During that deployment, the jets amassed almost 500 flying hours and 20 scrambles, operating alongside Swedish aircraft.