Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by Russia during its attack on Ukraine have entered Polish airspace.
Modern.az reports that the Polish army has for the first time used its forces and NATO forces against Russian drones.
The Polish Military Command has issued a statement regarding this.
The statement indicates that on Wednesday, repeatedly “drone-type objects” entered Polish airspace:
“The operation to identify and neutralize the objects is ongoing. Weapons have been used, and military personnel are working to determine the locations of the downed drones.”
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces stated that the operation is ongoing, and residents in the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin regions have been advised to stay indoors due to the risk. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, meanwhile, announced that Polish aircraft had “used weapons against enemy objects.”
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Poland has temporarily closed four airports, including the main Chopin Airport in Warsaw. Additionally, operations at Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport, which plays a key role in transporting weapons and passengers to Ukraine, have been suspended. Polish authorities have not yet officially confirmed this information.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly informed about this. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, meanwhile, described Russia's repeated violations of NATO airspace as “Putin testing NATO's resolve”:
“These incidents cannot be ignored after the atrocities Putin has committed in Ukraine,” he emphasized.
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson, meanwhile, called Russia's drone attack on Poland “an act of war against a NATO ally” and urged U.S. President Donald Trump to impose harsh sanctions “to cripple Russia's war machine.”
Poland was put on high alert against objects entering its airspace after a missile fired from Ukraine accidentally landed in a village in the country's south in 2022, killing two people. However, there have been no reports of drones being shot down by Polish or NATO forces until now.
Furthermore, Poland has announced that it will close its border with Belarus starting from midnight on Thursday. The reason for this is the large-scale “Zapad” military exercises initiated by Russia and Belarus. The exercises have caused serious security concerns in Poland, as well as in Lithuania and Latvia.
