Poland announced that it had activated its own and NATO air defenses to intercept drones on Wednesday following a Russian aerial assault on western Ukraine, marking the first instance in the Ukraine conflict that Warsaw has deployed resources within its airspace.
The military command of Poland reported that drones consistently infringed upon Polish airspace amid the Russian offensive in Ukraine, and the defense minister indicated that NATO command had been informed.
Radars monitored over 10 objects, and those deemed potentially hazardous were “neutralised,” according to the command.
“Several drones that intruded into our airspace were neutralized.” Efforts to identify and locate the possible crash sites of these items are now underway,” the statement indicated.
The statement said that the military action was in progress and advised residents to remain indoors, identifying the regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as the most vulnerable.
The Polish military characterized the infringement of the nation’s airspace as an “act of aggression.” At the same time, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Polish aircraft had “engaged hostile targets with munitions.”
“We maintain continuous communication with NATO command,” he stated on X.
Chopin Airport in Warsaw, the largest in the country, declared the closure of its airspace due to military operations.
The US Federal Aviation Administration previously announced that Chopin Airport was among four Polish airports to be temporarily shuttered, including Rzeszów–Jasionka Airport in the southeast, which serves as a hub for passenger and arms transfers to Ukraine.
The Russian defense ministry did not promptly reply to Reuters’ inquiry for comment.
On Tuesday, CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins stated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had received a briefing. The State Department did not promptly reply to a request for commentary.
As of 0400 GMT, all of Ukraine, including the western provinces of Volyn and Lviv adjacent to Poland, has been under air attack alerts for several hours, as reported by Ukraine’s air force.
CEO Tim Cook described the highlight of the company’s annual product launch event as a ‘game changer.’
Previously, Ukraine’s air force announced that Russian drones had breached the airspace of NATO-member Poland, endangering the city of Zamosc; however, this declaration was later retracted from the Telegram messaging service.
‘ACT OF WAR’
In the United States, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin stated that the recurrent breaches of NATO airspace by Russian drones indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin is assessing our determination to safeguard Poland and the Baltic states.
“In light of the devastation Putin continues to inflict on Ukraine, these incursions must not be overlooked,” he stated on X.
Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson, a prominent member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated in a post on X that Russia was “assaulting NATO ally Poland” with drones, characterizing it as an “act of war”.
Wilson implored US President Donald Trump to implement measures “that will incapacitate the Russian war apparatus.”
“Putin is no longer satisfied with merely losing in Ukraine while targeting mothers and infants; he is now directly challenging our resolve within NATO territory,” he stated.
Trump, who cordially received Putin in the United States for a summit in August, stated over the weekend his readiness to advance to a second round of sanctions against Russia following months of unproductive negotiations on a peace agreement.
It was his most definitive signal to date that he may intensify pressure on Moscow or its oil purchasers in reaction to the conflict in Ukraine.
The European Union’s chief sanctions official visited Washington on Monday to deliberate on the inaugural concerted transatlantic actions against Russia since Trump’s return to office in January, during which he pledged to conclude the conflict within 24 hours.
Poland has maintained heightened vigilance about aerial objects since a wayward Ukrainian missile impacted a southern village in 2022, resulting in two fatalities, just after the onset of Russia’s comprehensive invasion of Ukraine. However, there have been no reports of Polish or allied defense systems successfully neutralizing drones.
Poland announced it would block its border with Belarus on Thursday at midnight local time due to military maneuvers conducted by Russia in Belarus.
The extensive military exercises conducted by Russia and Belarus, referred to as the “Zapad” drills, have heightened security concerns among neighboring NATO member states, including Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Lithuania announced that it would enhance defenses along its border with Belarus and Russia in response to the exercises.
Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army troops in Europe, stated that the frequency of Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace “clearly indicates that these are deliberate tests of NATO and national air defenses and early warning systems.”
“We must respond effectively each time,” Hodges informed Reuters, adding: “We could certainly be doing more.”
