WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Polish and allied aircraft were dispatched for a “preventive” mission in Poland’s airspace on Saturday due to the threat of drone strikes in adjacent regions of Ukraine, leading to the closure of Lublin’s airport in eastern Poland, as announced by authorities.
This alert followed the incursion of several Russian drones into Poland on Wednesday, which resulted in NATO deploying fighter jets to intercept them, highlighting existing apprehensions about the escalation of Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, now exceeding three years.
The operational command of the Polish military posted on X on Saturday afternoon that air defense and reconnaissance systems were on heightened alert. They emphasized that “these actions are preventive in nature,” aiming to safeguard Poland’s airspace and protect its citizens. They noted a drone strike threat in Ukrainian zones bordering Poland, though further specifics were not immediately provided.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk also announced that “preventive air operations” had commenced in Poland’s airspace in response to the threat from Russian drones active over neighboring Ukrainian areas.
The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency indicated that Lublin Airport was closed to air traffic “due to military aviation activities.” The duration of the closure was unspecified, but airport spokesman Piotr Jankowski informed the PAP news agency that the airspace above the airport would be closed until 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).
Russia claimed it did not target Poland on Wednesday, while its ally Belarus stated the drones veered off course due to jamming. However, European leaders are convinced that the incursions were a calculated provocation by Russia.
