NATO fighter jets were scrambled early Wednesday as Russia launched one of its heaviest air assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, with reports that Polish airspace had been breached.
Warsaw’s Operational Command said on social media that Polish and allied aircraft were operating in national airspace in response to what it described as an “intensive air attack” from Russia.
Ukraine’s Air Force said via its Telegram channel that Moscow had deployed more than 500 attack and decoy drones, along with 24 missiles, during overnight strikes. Explosions were reported across western Ukraine, including in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi and Lutsk, raising concerns about the proximity of the attacks to Poland’s border.
Reports of drones crossing into Polish airspace
Polish authorities had been alerted by Ukraine’s Air Force that Iranian-made Shahed drones, often referred to as “suicide drones,” had entered Polish territory.
In response, Poland temporarily closed airspace around major airports, including Warsaw Chopin, Warsaw-Modlin, Rzeszow and Lublin, citing “unplanned military activity.”
The Polish Operational Command said both air and ground defence systems had been placed on the highest state of readiness. Officials stressed that the measures were intended to reassure and protect citizens in eastern regions close to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Air Force also warned that Russian drones appeared to be heading toward the Polish city of Zamosc, though Polish authorities had not confirmed this trajectory.
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Political reactions and rising tensions
News of the suspected drone incursion drew sharp political reactions. Polish MEP Dominik Tarczynski urged caution, noting that official confirmation was still pending and warning against misinformation spreading online. Some US lawmakers, however, reacted more strongly.
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson claimed that Russia was directly attacking Nato territory, calling the incident an “act of war.”
He urged Washington to impose mandatory sanctions on Moscow and provide Ukraine with advanced weaponry capable of striking inside Russia. Wilson argued that President Vladimir Putin was deliberately testing Nato’s resolve by extending aggression beyond Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Dick Durbin took a more measured line, saying repeated drone incursions into Nato airspace demonstrated Moscow’s attempts to probe the alliance’s willingness to defend member states. He stressed that such violations could not be ignored given the ongoing destruction in Ukraine.
Heightened security ahead of Belarus border closure
The escalation came as Poland prepared to close its border with Belarus. Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that the move would coincide with large-scale Zapad military exercises being carried out jointly by Belarus and Russia, which Polish officials described as “very aggressive.”
With tensions rising along Nato’s eastern flank, Warsaw said forces would remain on heightened alert as the situation continued to unfold.
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