The UN Security Council is set to meet in an emergency session Friday afternoon (New York time) to discuss the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, amid concerns that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into the wider region.
The meeting was requested by Poland after reporting that at least 19 violations by Russian drones of its territory overnight into Wednesday during a large-scale missile and drone strike against Ukraine.
The episode marked the most serious such incursion since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While Poland and its NATO allies reportedly downed several of the drones, the incident has heightened tensions across the region - and put the new threats posed by drone warfare at the heart of diplomatic debate.
Russia's Defence Ministry said the strikes were aimed at Ukraine's military-industrial targets and that it did not intend drones to stray across the border.
UN political chief to brief
UN's political official, Rosemary DiCarlo, is expected to brief ambassadors. Poland's deputy foreign minister will attend, alongside regional states and the European Union.
The incident has raised deep concern over spillover of the conflict in Ukraine.
Stay with UN News as we bring you live coverage of the meeting...
Rise of the drone
The reported incursion into Polish airspace highlights the growing role of drones in modern conflict.
Relatively inexpensive and easy to deploy, drones are increasingly supplementing - and in some cases supplanting - conventional military hardware.
Armies, armed groups and militias worldwide are rapidly adapting to their use, allowing for strikes and reconnaissance with lower risk to personnel.
However, malfunctions, loss of control and human error can lead to unintended strikes or impacts - especially when they're deployed in towns and cities as opposed to the battlefield.
Analysts also say drones blur the line between traditional military operations and asymmetric warfare, raising the risk of unintended escalation across borders.
