Czech politicians reacted with strong declarations of support for Poland yesterday following the incursion of at least 19 drones into Polish airspace yesterday morning. Politicians from the governing coalition and the opposition ANO movement condemned the Russian drone attack, called for a clear NATO response, and some argued for further tightening of anti-Russian sanctions and strengthening the defence of NATO’s eastern flank.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced yesterday morning that his country’s airspace was violated overnight by a large number of Russian drones, which were intercepted by Polish and allied aircraft.
The Czech government discussed the situation yesterday and subsequently condemned the Russian aggression in a resolution. “The government of the Czech Republic condemns the Russian aggression by violating the airspace of Poland, expresses its support for Poland and is ready to fulfil all our allied obligations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation,” the adopted resolution reads.
President Petr Pavel said the attack showed the Czech Republic, its neighbours and Europe are not safe.
After speaking by telephone yesterday with his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky wrote on social media that they agreed that the situation was serious and any speculation served Russian propaganda. “Russia is the aggressor, in Ukraine and the rest of Europe,” he added.
Earlier in the morning, Lipavsky wrote on social media that the violation of Polish airspace is further proof that Moscow’s war against Ukraine “threatens all of us”. He called for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to immediately strengthen air defences on its eastern border. The minister also called for tougher anti-Russian sanctions. After the phone call with Sikorski, he said that the only defence against Russian drones was higher defence spending.
The Czech Republic will be ready to help Poland defend itself against acts such as the Russian drone attack, according to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Marketa Pekarova Adamova (TOP 09), speaking yesterday after a meeting with the leadership of the Senate. She added that she would inform her Polish colleagues about this during her trip to Warsaw on Thursday.
“Today it was Poland, tomorrow it could be the Czech Republic,” said Pekarova Adamova. “We want to express to our Polish allies our belonging, solidarity and, of course, our readiness to help them if necessary. I think it is very important that Poland is able, and the Czech Republic would certainly be able, to defend itself against such acts,” she said.
She went on to say that the drone attack was proof that Russia’s war is not only about Ukraine. “Russia is testing NATO, Russia is testing our response and we must clearly show a very vigorous and appropriate response,” Pekarova Adamova said.
The Czech Republic is ready to send a special operations helicopter unit with three specially modified Mi-171S machines to help Poland in the wake of the drone incursion, the Defence Ministry said in a press release yesterday evening.
According to the ministry, Poland requested the unit in a phone call yesterday between Defence Minister Jana Cernochova (ODS) and her Polish counterpart Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. The helicopters will help the Polish army protect the country from drones at low altitudes, the ministry added.
According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS), the Czech helicopters can help defend European airspace within a few days.
The assistance will be sent to Poland within the framework of the valid mandate, and Cernochova has already informed PM Fiala about it, the ministry said. The prime minister wrote on social media yesterday evening that Poland was “a reliable partner whose request the Czech Republic had quickly met,” adding that now was “time to show strength and unity.”
“Poland is our close and reliable ally and I consider our assistance to be a matter of course,” said Cernochova. “It is important that the aid comes quickly and that we show our unity against Russia. We are ready to send the unit within days.”
Chief of General Staff Karel Rehka said the number of soldiers would be specified according to the current situation and the possibilities of logistical support, but will not exceed 150 soldiers. “We are counting on deployment for a period of up to three months,” he said.
The army is ready to send a special operations helicopter unit from the 22nd helicopter air base in Namest nad Oslavou, South Moravia, to Poland, Rehka said. He recalled that the helicopter unit had already been operating in Poland in recent years, including its members involved in the flood relief efforts that hit Poland and the Czech Republic last September.
The deployment of the soldiers is made possible by the current mandate for the forces and assets of the Ministry of Defence for the years 2025 and 2026, which was approved by the Czech Parliament last year. Under this, up to 2,000 troops can be deployed to reinforce the defence of NATO’s eastern border in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Currently, Czech troops are deployed in Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia under this mandate.
