Tusk agrees to send Polish military personnel to Ukraine for counter-drone training
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accepted the proposal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and will send Polish military personnel to Ukraine to undergo training in countering drones.
This is reported by Censor.NET with reference to LB.
The Polish side is in contact with the Minister of Defence of Ukraine and the Commander-in-Chief.
Zelenskyy said at a press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Kyiv that methods of combating Russian drones using Patriot systems and aviation are too expensive and ineffective. According to him, Patriot is designed primarily to counter ballistic missiles, not to repel massive drone attacks.
The president emphasized that effective defense is only possible through a multi-system approach — with interceptor drones, mobile fire groups, aviation, and electronic warfare assets. He also noted that Russians change their drone models every two to three months, which is why Ukraine is constantly upgrading its interceptors and building several lines of EW systems.
Zelenskyy added that the earlier idea of having partners’ aircraft shoot down Russian drones over Ukraine is no longer sufficient. In his view, air defense systems must be deployed in Ukraine, while aircraft can operate from Polish territory.
As a reminder, on 10 September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Council of Ministers Chair Giorgia Meloni, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He also offered Poland assistance, training, and expertise in shooting down Russian drones, including Shaheds.
