After NATO aircraft intercepted drones in Polish airspace overnight, the Western military alliance sought to reassure its citizens on Wednesday that everything had gone as it should.

The incident represented the most serious spillover of the war in Ukraine to date for NATO, as its aircraft engaged the drones that it said came from Russia.

"Our air defenses were activated and successfully ensured the defense of NATO territory, as they are designed to do,” declared Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary general.