The Russia-Ukraine war: Russian drones in NATO airspace and alleged sabotage plots

Active · last development Sep 25, 2026: “Finland and Sweden scramble fighter jets together against Russia in historic first”

What this arc covers

Russian missiles, military aircraft and drones entering the airspace of NATO members, from a missile's pass through Polish airspace in March 2024 onward, the debate over how the alliance should respond, and the sabotage plots Russia is accused of in Europe.

Photo from Semafor, with NATO chief calls for calm as intel agency warns Russia may ramp up hybrid attacks (Sep 24, 2026), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Mar 21, 2024 · 44 stories · 165 independent sources (counted once each) · 918 days

Part ofRussiaUkraineNATOPolandMoscowRomaniaGermanyVladimir Putin

Part of The Russia-Ukraine war

  1. The front line and the long-range strikesDec 27, 2023 – Sep 28, 2026
  2. Western weapons and aid for UkraineJan 3, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  3. The peace talksJan 10, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  4. Sanctions on Russia and the fight over its frozen assetsJan 16, 2024 – Sep 23, 2026
  5. Ukraine's politics under martial lawJan 28, 2024 – Sep 7, 2026
  6. The Nord Stream explosions and Germany's case against Ukrainian suspectsFeb 7, 2024 – Sep 24, 2026
  7. Russian drones in NATO airspace and alleged sabotage plotsThis arcMar 21, 2024 – Sep 25, 2026
  8. The US-Ukraine minerals deal, from Trump's demand to the April 2025 signingFeb 3 – Apr 30, 2025

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 25– 282026Finland and Sweden scramble fighter jets together against Russia in historic first5 articles · 5 independent sources
2 left, 1 center, 1 right
Sep 242026NATO chief calls for calm as intel agency warns Russia may ramp up hybrid attacks14 articles · 14 independent sources
3 left, 2 center, 2 right
Sep 24– 252026Polish Deputy PM says Starlink station fire possibly Russian sabotage6 articles · 6 independent sources
1 left, 1 center, 2 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Sep 10, 2025Poland says it shot down Russian drones that entered its airspace35 articles · 25 independent sources
  2. Jul 29 – 31, 2026Russian strikes across Ukraine kill 10 and NATO scrambles jets after a missile falls in Poland69 articles · 45 independent sources
    1. Jul 29, 2026Only center coverage:Russia striking Kyiv with ballistic missiles, after Zelensky warned of ‘massive attack’
    2. Jul 31, 2026Only center coverage:Poland confirms Russian Kh-101 missile fell in Lublin region during mass attack on Ukraine
  3. Aug 5 – 9, 2026US intelligence believes explosives-equipped drone at German airport likely belongs to Moscow, WSJ reports44 articles · 30 independent sources
    1. Aug 5, 2026Drone with explosives found at German airport, official sees 'new quality' of threat
    2. Aug 6, 2026Drone with explosive device found near Ukrainian plane at German airport
    3. Aug 7, 2026Only center coverage:Suspicious drones sighted over German military base days after Leipzig airport incident
    4. Aug 8, 20262 drones spotted flying over German military base after drone with explosives found at cargo airport
  4. Aug 26 – 28, 2026CIA chief was in Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO and encourage cutting off Iran29 articles · 24 independent sources
  5. Aug 29 – Sep 3, 2026Germany blames Russia for drone attack on airport; EU considers countermeasures69 articles · 43 independent sources
    1. Aug 29, 2026Germany plans to blame Russia for foiled Leipzig drone attack, Politico reports
    2. Sep 3, 2026The Fallout of Russia’s Failed Drone Attack on Germany
  6. Sep 14 – 16, 2026NATO jets shoot down drone over Lithuania and Russian ship fires flares at Danish helicopter36 articles · 30 independent sources
  7. Sep 15 – 17, 2026U.S. Charges Five Men in Russia-Backed Assassination Plots31 articles · 30 independent sources
    1. Sep 15, 2026The FBI thwarted a Russian plot to kill a prominent dissident in Washington, authorities say
    2. Sep 16, 2026Only center coverage:US charges five people linked to Russian ‘assassination network’

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Mar 2024Sep 2024Mar 2025Sep 2025Mar 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Mar 18, 202466434
Mar 25, 20240304
Apr 15, 202433312
Apr 22, 20240315
Apr 29, 202414111
May 6, 20240115
May 20, 20240114
May 27, 20240227
Sep 2, 202414312
Sep 9, 20240224
Dec 23, 202462214
Sep 8, 2025112411106
Sep 15, 2025412450
Sep 22, 202546417
Oct 20, 20251327
Nov 17, 202517416
May 11, 20261204
May 25, 202637420
Jul 20, 202604314
Jul 27, 2026618962
Aug 3, 20267101052
Aug 10, 202615210
Aug 24, 202647932
Aug 31, 202613141073
Sep 7, 20261102
Sep 14, 202613171167
Sep 21, 202644420
Sep 28, 20260011

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

26% left · 51% center · 23% right of 165 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 44 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. March 2024

    Mar 21– 24Russia launches another massive missile attack on Ukraine with one briefly entering Polish airspace14 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  2. Mar 24– 25Poland demands explanation from Russia after a missile enters its airspace during attack on Ukraine25 articles · 25 independent sources
    5 left, 7 center, 2 right

  3. April 2024

    Apr 18Germany arrests 2 for allegedly spying for Russia, plotting sabotage to undermine Ukraine aid15 articles · 13 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 3 right
  4. Apr 26UK man charged with 'Russia-backed arson plot' on Ukraine-linked targets6 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right

  5. May 2024

    May 3German foreign minister says Russia will face consequences for cyberattack — NATO, EU show support15 articles · 11 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 1 right
  6. May 6Germany recalls its ambassador in Russia for a week in protest over a hacker attack8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right
  7. May 22Baltic Sea nations react warily to a reported Russian proposal to revise its maritime border7 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right
  8. May 29Europe's cybersecurity chief says disruptive attacks have doubled recently, sees Russia behind many7 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 2 right

  9. September 2024

    Sep 8– 9NATO members Romania and Latvia say Russian drones violated their airspace18 articles · 16 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 4 right

  10. December 2024

    Dec 25– 27Finland detains Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea16 articles · 14 independent sources
    6 left, 2 center, 2 right

  11. September 2025

    Sep 10– 11After Russian drones were downed in Poland, what does triggering NATO Article 4 mean?17 articles · 16 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 3 right
  12. Sep 10– 15Russian drone enters Romanian airspace heightening NATO tensions35 articles · 20 independent sources
    5 left, 5 center, 6 right
  13. Sep 10Poland says it shot down Russian drones that entered its airspace35 articles · 25 independent sources
    5 left, 13 center, 1 right
  14. Sep 10– 13Poland deploys planes due to threat of drone strikes in nearby Ukraine26 articles · 20 independent sources
    3 left, 7 center, 7 right
  15. Sep 12NATO launches ‘Eastern Sentry’ operation in response to Russian drone incursions13 articles · 12 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 2 right
  16. Sep 15NATO should impose no-fly zone over Ukraine to protect against Russian drones, Poland says9 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  17. Sep 18Poland turns to Ukraine for drone warfare expertise after Russian weapons enter airspace5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  18. Sep 19Estonia says its airspace was violated by three Russian jets27 articles · 24 independent sources
    2 left, 8 center, 3 right
  19. Sep 19– 25NATO divided on how to respond to repeated Russian incursions21 articles · 15 independent sources
    3 left, 5 center, 3 right
  20. Sep 20Poland scrambles jets as Russia launches massive aerial assault on Ukraine9 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  21. Sep 23Donald Trump Says NATO Should Shoot Down Russian Aircraft...5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 2 right

  22. October 2025

    Oct 23– 24President of Lithuania says Russian military planes violated country's airspace7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 2 right

  23. November 2025

    Nov 17– 19Poland Suspects Russia for “Unprecedented” Railway Sabotage22 articles · 16 independent sources
    1 left, 7 center, 4 right

  24. May 2026

    May 14Latvian prime minister resigns after drone incident7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  25. May 29NATO members condemn Russia after drone slams into Romania apartment building, wounding two21 articles · 21 independent sources
    3 left, 7 center, 4 right

  26. July 2026

    Jul 24– 29NATO member Romania shoots down stray drones from Ukraine war after years of incursions23 articles · 19 independent sources
    0 left, 6 center, 3 right
  27. Jul 29– 31Russian strikes across Ukraine kill 10 and NATO scrambles jets after a missile falls in Poland69 articles · 45 independent sources
    6 left, 17 center, 9 right

  28. August 2026

    Aug 5– 9US intelligence believes explosives-equipped drone at German airport likely belongs to Moscow, WSJ reports44 articles · 30 independent sources
    4 left, 8 center, 6 right
  29. Aug 7– 10Would Putin Attack NATO? The Incursion Everyone Fears Is the One Move That Costs Moscow Most7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 5 right
  30. Aug 8– 9A drone likely from Ukraine explodes in Bulgaria near a gas pipeline close to Romania’s border15 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 2 right
  31. Aug 14– 16NATO fighter jet shoots down drone in Romania near border with Ukraine14 articles · 11 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right
  32. Aug 26– 28CIA chief was in Moscow to warn Russia against attacking NATO and encourage cutting off Iran29 articles · 24 independent sources
    4 left, 7 center, 5 right
  33. Aug 27– 30Russia threatens strikes on UK military targets, ‘catastrophic consequences’ over Ukraine7 articles · 7 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 4 right
  34. Aug 29– Sep 3Germany blames Russia for drone attack on airport; EU considers countermeasures69 articles · 43 independent sources
    9 left, 12 center, 9 right

  35. September 2026

    Sep 3– 4Russia to close German cultural centers amid deepening tensions with Europe over supporting Ukraine21 articles · 14 independent sources
    5 left, 3 center, 2 right
  36. Sep 12Bulgaria: Fire at factory making munitions for Ukraine5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  38. Sep 14– 16NATO jets shoot down drone over Lithuania and Russian ship fires flares at Danish helicopter36 articles · 30 independent sources
    5 left, 8 center, 5 right
  39. Sep 15– 17U.S. Charges Five Men in Russia-Backed Assassination Plots31 articles · 30 independent sources
    8 left, 9 center, 5 right
  40. Sep 17– 19Poland says Moscow plans to strike Ukraine’s NATO allies12 articles · 12 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 3 right
  41. Sep 23– 24Poland accuses Russian military helicopter of violating its airspace3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right
  42. Sep 24– 25Polish Deputy PM says Starlink station fire possibly Russian sabotage6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 2 right
  43. Sep 24NATO chief calls for calm as intel agency warns Russia may ramp up hybrid attacks14 articles · 14 independent sources
    3 left, 2 center, 2 right
  44. Sep 25– 28Finland and Sweden scramble fighter jets together against Russia in historic first5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 1 right