Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones Violating Airspace Amid Strikes on Ukraine

Poland’s military reported on Wednesday that it neutralised several drones that illegally entered its airspace during a Russian assault on neighbouring Ukraine.

According to a statement from Poland’s Operational Command shared on X, “Multiple drone-like objects violated our airspace during Russia’s attack on Ukrainian targets. Operations are ongoing to identify and eliminate these threats.”

In response to the Russian airstrikes targeting Ukraine’s western regions near the Polish border, Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled early Wednesday to safeguard the nation’s airspace, Reuters reported. Poland heightened its defences, with ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance units placed on maximum alert.

The Operational Command noted on X that “Polish and allied aircraft are actively patrolling our skies, with air defence and radar systems fully prepared.”

As a precautionary measure, Poland temporarily closed four airports, including Warsaw Chopin Airport, Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport, and Lublin Airport. The US Federal Aviation Administration issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), citing “unplanned military activity related to state security” as the reason for the closure of Warsaw Chopin Airport.

Ukraine’s air force initially reported that Russian drones had crossed into Poland, a NATO member, posing a potential threat to the city of Zamosc. However, this statement was later removed from their Telegram channel.

Air raid alerts remained active across much of Ukraine, including the western Volyn and Lviv regions bordering Poland, for several hours as of midnight GMT, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The incident follows remarks by Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Tuesday, who expressed concerns about Russian aggression. Speaking alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki, Nawrocki warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may target other nations after the war in Ukraine, stating, “We have no trust in Vladimir Putin’s intentions.”