The prime minister of Poland has warned that Russia is plotting “air terror” against the West, following the discovery of incendiary devices on cargo planes across Europe.

“All I can say – and I will not go into details, but I can confirm the validity of these fears – is that Russia has been planning acts of air terror, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world,” Donald Tusk told reporters on Wednesday.

He spoke as Germany’s government agreed proposals to allow its army to shoot down suspicious drones flying over its military and industrial sites.

While Mr Tusk refused to give further details on the “air terror” incidents, he may have been referring to a suspected Russian plot to sabotage DHL cargo planes last year.