September 15, 2025
It is an obvious expansion of the war by Russia — and this is exactly how they act. Small steps at first, and eventually big losses.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine commenting on Russian drones entering Romanian airspace: “This cannot be a coincidence, a mistake, or the initiative of some lower-level commanders.”
Why It Matters: Over the last week, both Romania and Poland have seen heightened activity from Russian drones. Poland and Romania are both member nations of NATO — the largest military alliance in the world. NATO members commit to a promise or principle of “collective defense”: “Collective defense means that an attack against one Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies.” Russia’s recent foray into the airspace of NATO countries has not led to significant attacks. However, if that changes, this latest move by Russia could require other NATO nations to rally to the defense of their allies, which could signal an expansion of the war between Russia and Ukraine more broadly to the rest of Europe.
Context: Violations of Polish and Romanian airspace have happened before during the latest conflict in Ukraine; both Poland and Romania share a border with Ukraine.
Russia’s POV via Axios: “Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, said on Telegram Sunday in response to Poland reporting an air space breach that the Russian defense ministry officials had ‘proposed consultations,’ but their Polish counterparts were ‘not ready’ for these. ‘This looks like a provocation or a misunderstanding, which the Polish side is not willing to clarify,’ Ulyanov added.”
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by Jenna Lee, Founder of SmartHER News
