By Jo Harper
WARSAW (AA) - Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday condemned the latest Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv, saying it ran counter to diplomatic expectations and underscoring the need for stronger defenses in the region.
“Contrary to President Trump’s expectations and despite Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s willingness to make concessions, Russia has once again brutally attacked residential areas of Kyiv,” Tusk said on US social media company X, hours after Saturday’s bombardment that Ukrainian officials said killed at least two civilians.
The attack — involving missiles and drones — struck energy infrastructure and housing in the Ukrainian capital, even as Ukrainian air defenses reported intercepting more than 500 airborne targets.
The incident highlights continued Russian escalation in the conflict and comes as Poland is pursuing a major defensive initiative aimed at bolstering its eastern flank.
On Saturday, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk told The Guardian that Warsaw would build a new anti-drone fortification system along its eastern border in response to Russia's attacks.
The project, part of a broader €2 billion (over $2.3 billion) investment, will include drone-jamming technologies, machine guns, and missiles, designed to counter unmanned aerial threats and secure stretches of border with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
The anti-drone system is expected to begin operations within six months, with full completion targeted within two years. The investment is planned to be financed largely through the EU's new SAFE defense program and Poland’s national budget.
Poland’s border fortification push builds on the long-term “Eastern Shield” defense initiative and comes amid mounting concerns over hybrid threats and spillover effects from the ongoing war in Ukraine. Earlier incidents this year saw Russian drones briefly enter Polish airspace, prompting Polish and NATO fighter jets to respond.