Poland Says Russian Drones Violated Its Airspace During Ukraine Strikes

Poland’s military on Wednesday accused Russia of repeatedly violating its airspace with drones during strikes on targets in Ukraine.

“During today’s attack by the Russian Federation aimed at targets in Ukraine, our airspace was repeatedly violated by drones,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said in a statement on social media.

It noted that efforts were underway to “identify and neutralise” some of the drones and to locate others already downed.

Earlier, the command confirmed that Polish and allied aircraft had been mobilised in response to the Russian assault. Warsaw’s main Chopin Airport was also temporarily closed, according to a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration notice citing “unplanned military activity related to ensuring state security.”

The incident came just a day after Poland’s newly elected nationalist President, Karol Nawrocki, warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could target more countries beyond Ukraine.

“We do not trust Vladimir Putin’s good intentions,” Nawrocki said Tuesday at a press conference in Helsinki. “We believe that Vladimir Putin is ready to also invade other countries.”

A NATO member, Poland has been one of Ukraine’s strongest backers, hosting more than a million Ukrainian refugees and serving as a critical hub for Western humanitarian and military aid.

This latest claim follows several instances of Russian missiles and drones crossing into NATO territory, including Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Poland itself. Just last month, Warsaw reported that a Russian military drone exploded on farmland in eastern Poland, which it described as a deliberate “provocation.”