Poland Suspends Flights, Shuts Airports As Russian Drones Breach Airspace Amid Ukraine Strikes

Poland said on Wednesday it scrambled its own and NATO air defences after Russian drones violated its airspace during overnight strikes on western Ukraine, calling the incident an “act of aggression”. This marks the first time Warsaw has confirmed the use of defensive assets inside its territory since the start of the Ukraine war.

According to Poland’s military operational command, radar systems tracked more than 10 flying objects as Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s border regions. Some of the drones crossed into Polish territory. “Several of these hostile objects were neutralised. Searches for debris and potential crash sites are underway,” the army said in a statement on X. Authorities urged residents in the regions of Lublin, Podlaskie and Mazowieckie to remain indoors while the military operation continued.

Airports Temporarily Closed

Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, the country’s largest, suspended all flight operations after the military raised its alert level. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that four airports, including Rzeszow–Jasionka Airport in the southeast—a crucial hub for arms and humanitarian transfers to Ukraine—were temporarily shut.Chopin Airport later clarified that it remained open, but no flights were taking off or landing until further notice.Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Polish aircraft had “used weapons against hostile objects” and confirmed that NATO headquarters had been fully briefed. “This was a clear act of aggression against our country,” the army’s operational command declared.

Poland Is  Ready To Attack, Says PM Tusk

The Polish Prime Minister confirmed the attack on Wednesday."We are dealing with a large-scale provocation...We are ready to repel such provocations. The situation is serious, and no one doubts that we must prepare for various scenarios," Donald Tusk said while speaking to reporters.

The incursions sparked sharp reactions in Washington. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said the repeated drone violations showed Russian President Vladimir Putin was “testing NATO’s resolve to defend Poland and the Baltic nations”. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson went further, calling the drone strikes “an act of war” against a NATO ally and urging U.S. President Donald Trump to impose crippling sanctions on Russia.

ALSO READ: Ukraine Govt Building Struck In Major Russian Drone Attack; PM Says First Attack On Federal Site Since War Began

Rising Tensions On Belarus Border

Ukraine’s air force said all of its territory, including the western regions of Volyn and Lviv, remained under air raid alerts for several hours. Ukrainian media had initially reported that drones threatened the Polish border city of Zamosc, but the statement was later withdrawn. Russia’s defence ministry has not commented on the incident.

ALSO READ: India Urges Diplomacy At UN, Warns Ukraine Conflict Hurting Global South

Separately, Poland announced it would shut its border with Belarus at midnight on Thursday due to Russia-led military drills being held there. The large-scale “Zapad” exercises, involving Russian and Belarusian troops, have raised security concerns in Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. Lithuania confirmed it was reinforcing defences along its frontier with Belarus and Russia.