Poland on Alert as Russian Drones Violate Airspace
Polish PM Calls Emergency Meeting After Russian Drones Breach Airspace
WARSAW – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that drones from Russia had repeatedly crossed into Poland’s airspace during overnight attacks on western Ukraine, prompting Warsaw to heighten security and coordinate closely with NATO.
Tusk said operations were ongoing and that he was in “constant contact” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He also called an emergency meeting of the council of ministers for 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT).
According to Poland’s military command, radars detected more than ten flying objects during the strikes. Several drones that entered Polish territory were shot down, while searches for crash sites continue. Authorities urged residents in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions to remain indoors, calling the incident “an act of aggression” that posed a real threat to public safety.
Russia’s defense ministry has not yet commented.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was briefed on the developments, according to CNN. The State Department has not issued an official statement.
Air traffic was also disrupted. Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, the country’s largest, announced a temporary closure of its airspace. Flight-tracking data showed several incoming planes diverted to Katowice, Wroclaw, and Poznan. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that four Polish airports, including Rzeszów–Jasionka—a key hub for aid to Ukraine—had been closed.
Ukraine’s air force said western regions, including Volyn and Lviv near the Polish border, were under air raid alerts throughout the night. Earlier, it reported that Russian drones had threatened the city of Zamosc in Poland, but later removed the statement.
In Washington, U.S. lawmakers expressed sharp concern. Senator Dick Durbin warned that Russia was “testing our resolve to protect Poland and the Baltic nations,” while Republican Representative Joe Wilson labeled the drone strikes an “act of war” against NATO. He urged President Donald Trump to impose sanctions strong enough to “bankrupt the Russian war machine.”
Trump, who recently hinted at tougher sanctions after stalled peace talks with Moscow, has yet to respond directly to the latest incident. The European Union’s top sanctions envoy met with U.S. officials in Washington this week to discuss potential joint measures against Russia.
Poland remains on high alert following the 2022 tragedy in which a stray Ukrainian missile killed two people in a Polish village. This week, Warsaw also announced it would close its border with Belarus, citing Russia-led military drills in the neighboring country.
Security tensions are rising across the region as NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia monitor the large-scale “Zapad” exercises being conducted by Russia and Belarus. Lithuania has already strengthened defenses along its eastern frontier.
Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, said the repeated drone incursions appear to be deliberate tests of NATO’s defenses. “We need to be able to respond effectively each time,” he said.
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