A drone was neutralised over Poland's presidential palace on Monday - days after an airspace intrusion last week that saw 19 Russian drones swarm Polish skies.  

The drone was spotted flying over the government site in Warsaw in what Poland says appears to be Russia's latest provocation.

The object was 'neutralised' by Poland's State Protection Service (SOP), Prime Minister Donald Tusk said. 'Just now, the State Protection Service neutralized a drone operating over government buildings (Parkowa Street) and the Belweder Palace,' Tusk wrote in a post on X.

The incident comes with Poland on alert after a wave of Russian drones entered their airspace during an unprecedented large-scale incursion last Tuesday.

The incursion saw NATO jets down Russian targets for the first time during the conflict in Ukraine - stoking fresh fears in a region that has been on edge since Moscow unleashed its war in 2022.

Tusk warned at the time that the violations were 'the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.'

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, warned Polish media following Monday's incident: 'I suspect that such provocations will be repeated.' 

Meanwhile, a SOP source told the Polish Press Agency that no shots were fired during the operation and that the drone returned to two Belarusians who launched it in emergency mode. They were later detained in connection to the drone and police have now launched an investigation.

A spokesman for the SOP said: 'SOP officers on duty at Belweder Palace spotted the drone and notified their superiors. 

'A patrol was then dispatched to neutralise, or detain, the drone operators. The officers apprehended two individuals and handed them over to the police,' he confirmed. 

Colonel Napiórkowski assured that the SOP is monitoring government buildings. 'We are constantly vigilant here, we are prepared for such situations, and we will always respond,' he said.

It comes just a week after 19 Russian drones violated Polish airspace on September 9, temporarily shutting down at least four airports including Rzeszów, Lublin, Warsaw, and Modlin.

Before last week’s intrusion, violations of Polish airspace had looked unintentional, as single drones crashed just inside the border, often discovered by civilians. 

Belarusian helicopters briefly entered Polish airspace during exercises in 2023. A Ukrainian surface-to-air missile struck the Polish border village Przewodow in 2022.

By contrast, the latest incident was a significant intrusion by a small swarm, with one drone reaching as far as Mniszkow, a village more than 250km inside Poland. 

The incident disrupted civil aviation and triggered consultations between NATO members under article 4 of the treaty.

Poland's military was forced to shoot down the drones in its airspace with the backing of military aircraft from NATO allies, the first time a member of the Western military alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia's war in Ukraine.

Drones crashed into several civilian homes as well as a military base for Poland's Territorial Defence Forces.

Last week it was revealed that the Russian drones were reportedly heading to a NATO base used to supply Ukraine.

Die Welt, a German newspaper, reported that five of the drones were on a direct flight path to a NATO base used to deliver supplies to Ukraine.

A high-ranking NATO officer told the paper: 'Based on current information, we assume that the drones most likely intentionally entered NATO airspace'.

NATO officials are particularly nervous given that two more drones entered Lithuania at 10am on Wednesday, hours after Russia sent drones to Poland. This is believed to have been done to test the defence bloc's response.

NATO aircraft, including Polish F-16s, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS reconnaissance planes and refueling aircraft were sent to intercept the drones.

Following the incident, Tusk said that he appreciated European leaders' expressions of solidarity but said 'the words are not enough' as he announced that Poland would request 'much greater' support from NATO allies. 

He added that the drone activity was part of a wider display of aggression from Russia. 'There is no reason to claim that we are in a state of war,' Tusk said. 

'But the situation is significantly more dangerous than all previous ones.'

Poland's deputy prime minister has also called for NATO to build an 'anti-drone wall' on its border with Russia, just days after Vladimir Putin send dozens of drones into Poland's airspace.

Earlier this month, Tusk said that appeasing Putin 'makes no sense' after Moscow launched its biggest ever drone attack against Ukraine.

Following the strike, Tusk urged the US and Europe to take stronger action against Russia.

'The Russian attack on Kyiv's government buildings shows again that the continued delaying of a strong reaction against Putin and the attempts to appease him makes no sense,' he wrote on X.

'The US and Europe must together force Russia to accept an immediate ceasefire. We have all the instruments,' he added.

Elsewhere along the alliance's eastern frontier, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania have all reported Russian drone incursions.

In response, NATO countries elected to move troops and fighter jets eastwards as part of its Eastern Sentry mission to bolster the military alliance's eastern flank after the incursion.

Denmark will contribute two F-16 fighter jets to boost Poland's air defense as well as a warship, while France will send three Rafale fighter jets and Germany has promised four Eurofighters, according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The UK announced on Monday that it would deploy Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets to join the Eastern Sentry, supported by a RAF Voyager air-to-air refueling aircraft from RAF Brize Norton.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'These aircraft are not just a show of strength, they are vital in deterring aggression, securing NATO airspace and protecting our national security and that of our allies.'

UK Defence Secretary John Healey added that the jets would 'help deter Russian aggression and, where needed, defend NATO's airspace, making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.'