Tusk, joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, watched the first live-fire test of a newly acquired US-made Patriot air defence system at the Central Air Force Range in the Baltic town of Ustka, state news agency PAP reported.
The drills were part of NATO's Iron Defender exercises that began in early September in response to the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 manoeuvres.
“In these difficult and critical times, it is very important for the world to see how NATO and Poland are prepared for different scenarios and threats,” Tusk told reporters.
He said tens of thousands of Polish troops were taking part, including 18,000 in Tuesday’s drills alone.
Polish forces were also training alongside NATO allies in Lithuania, Latvia and on Sweden’s Gotland island, he said.
“These exercises are defensive in nature and are a response to aggressive manoeuvres on the other side of the border,” Tusk added.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland, which has NATO’s third-largest army, must carry out such drills to strengthen its operational capabilities.
“To be among the leaders, we need exercises like the one today in Ustka,” he said.
The defence minister told reporters that the drills also featured Homar-A and Homar-K rocket systems, K9 self-propelled howitzers, Krab artillery and Abrams tanks.
He said the training reflected Poland’s effort to build a multi-layered air defence system, from short-range Pilica-Plus batteries to medium-range Narew and long-range Wisła (Vistula) systems.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also pointed to recent airspace violations by Russian drones. “All these actions come from one direction—it is Russia that is responsible for the drones sent over Poland last week,” he said.
Tusk said last week that anyone seeking to attack Poland would be met with an "appropriate response," rejecting claims that Ukraine was behind the drone incursion.
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Source: IAR, PAP