In brief
Early Wednesday, the Polish military announced the interception of drones that violated its airspace amid a series of Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed these incidents, emphasizing their potential risk. Poland is on high alert, leading to flight operations halting at Chopin Airport during the airspace closure. This is not the first time Poland has reported incursions by Russian objects into its airspace.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The Polish military said early Wednesday that it had downed drones that violated its airspace as Russia launched a wave of aerial attacks on Ukraine.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that he had received a report from the Operational Command of the Army about “the shutting down of drones that entered our airspace and could constitute a threat.”
He said he informed the NATO Secretary General about actions undertaken by the Polish side.
Poland’s armed forces were on a heightened state of alert overnight Tuesday and early Wednesday due to what they described as “further massive airstrikes against targets located in Ukraine.”
Warsaw’s Chopin Airport warned passengers on its website that flight operations were on hold due to closure of the airspace over part of the country, but that the airport remained open.
Poland has complained about Russian objects entering its airspace during attacks on Ukraine before. In August, Poland’s defense minister claimed that a flying object that crashed in eastern Poland was identified as a Russian drone and termed it a provocation. In March, Poland scrambled jets after a Russian missile briefly passed through Polish airspace on its way to a target in western Ukraine. Additionally, in 2022, a missile that was likely fired by Ukraine to intercept a Russian attack landed in Poland, causing two fatalities.
Joint military drills involving Russian and Belarusian troops are scheduled to occur in Belarus starting Friday until September 16, named “Zapad 2025,” indicating continued military collaboration and the potential risks to neighboring nations.
