Poland said on Wednesday that it shot down drones that violated its airspace during a Russian aerial attack on Ukraine. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces confirmed that the country’s airspace had been “repeatedly violated” by drones.
The Polish military said weapons were used to target the drones, and search operations were under way to locate the wreckage. To ensure safety, both Polish and NATO aircraft were mobilised. Ground-based air defence and radar systems were also placed on high alert.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that an “operation is under way” to respond to multiple airspace violations. Reports also said that four airports in Poland were temporarily closed due to the military activity. These included Warsaw’s Chopin Airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport, Rzeszow–Jasionka Airport, and Lublin Airport.
The developments came shortly after Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian drones had entered Polish airspace. However, the statement was later removed from Ukraine’s Telegram channel. Overnight, much of Ukraine, including the western border regions of Volyn and Lviv, remained under air raid alerts.
Poland has also announced that it will temporarily close its border with Belarus starting Thursday midnight due to Russian-led military exercises scheduled in Belarus. These drills, called “Zapad-2025” (West-2025), will take place in both western Russia and Belarus from Friday.
Poland’s Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the border would reopen only once the government was certain there was no threat to its citizens.
Belarus criticised Poland’s move, with its Foreign Ministry calling the closure “an abuse of geographical position” and claiming it created “significant difficulties.” The ministry suggested Poland’s decision was meant to “conceal its own actions” rather than respond to any real threat.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
