Poland Says It Shot Down Russian Drones In Its Airspace For The First Time In Ukraine War

The Polish military scrambled NATO and its ain jets aft Russian drones entered its airspace while attacking Ukraine, it said early Wednesday, making this nan first clip Warsaw has straight engaged pinch Moscow's assets since nan Russian penetration of Ukraine.

“During today’s onslaught by nan Russian Federation targeting objects connected nan territory of Ukraine, our airspace was many times violated by drone-type objects,” nan Polish subject operational bid said successful a post connected X.

The subject besides advised group to enactment location arsenic nan cognition was still ongoing. The areas astir astatine consequence were mostly on eastbound Poland, namely Podlaskie, which straight borders Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic Mazowieckie and Lublin.

“An cognition is underway aimed astatine identifying and neutralizing these objects ... weapons person been used, and work unit are carrying retired actions to find nan downed objects,” nan subject bid said.

“The Operational Command of nan Polish Armed Forces is monitoring nan situation, and subordinate forces and units stay connected afloat readiness for contiguous response,” it added.

This is nan first clip Poland — aliases NATO assets — person straight engaged pinch Russian targets since Russia invaded Ukraine successful 2022.

Radars operated by Poland and NATO had tracked respective drones earlier immoderate of them were changeable down, nan Polish subject said successful a separate connection connected X, adding it was locating nan clang sites.

At slightest 3 airports crossed Poland, including nan Chopin Airport successful Warsaw, were “not disposable owed to unplanned subject activity related to ensuring authorities security,” according to NOTAM alerts connected nan U.S. Federal Aviation Administration website.

Known arsenic “Notice to Airmen,” these alerts pass aircrews astir time-sensitive aerial conditions for safe flying.

"The airdrome remains open, but nary formation operations are presently taking place," nan Chopin airdrome said successful a post connected X.

Southwest of Warsaw, nan Lublin airdrome was besides closed, according to a NOTAM. The Rzeszów–Jasionka airport, a logistical hub for subject and rider transfers to Ukraine, was besides closed.

The Polish engagement came arsenic nan Ukrainian aerial unit earlier warned that Russian drones had entered Poland's airspace and posed a threat to nan metropolis of Zamosc, earlier later removing that connection from nan Telegram messaging app, Reuters reported.

The Ukrainian aerial unit issued warnings of dozens of Russian drones and missiles attacking its ain territory early Wednesday.

Poland and nan U.S. are members of nan North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which astatine its halfway is simply a communal defense pact, meaning an onslaught connected 1 is an onslaught connected all.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, neighboring Poland has remained connected precocious alert, particularly aft a stray Ukrainian missile struck a Polish colony conscionable a fewer months into nan warfare successful 2022 and killed 2 group there. Stray Russian missiles have besides concisely entered Polish airspace connected astatine slightest two occasions.

In nan U.S., Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CNN he had been briefed connected reports of Russian drones complete Poland arsenic he near a meal pinch President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said nan NATO airspace usurpation was a motion that, “Vladimir Putin is testing our resoluteness to protect Poland and nan Baltic nations.”

“After nan carnage Putin continues to sojourn connected Ukraine, these incursions cannot beryllium ignored,” he said connected X.