Russia has carried out an “unprecedented violation” of Poland’s airspace, according to Warsaw’s military command.
In a statement on X, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it had detected drones in its airspace as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine.
“There was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace,” it said, adding: “This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were 19 intrusions into his country’s airspace overnight, and that a large portion of the drones had flown in from Belarus.
Four drones were likely shot down, he added, with the last one being brought down at 6.45am local time (5.45am UK). Consultations with Poland’s allies to boost air defences are ongoing, he said.
Mr Tusk also said that Poland has asked to invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which allows alliance members to consult with other members on issues.
He said Poland is in a situation closest to armed conflict since the Second World War, but added that there was no reason to believe his country was in a state of war.
Earlier, the Polish military command said it had scrambled its own and NATO allied air defences, marking the first time in the war that Poland had directly engaged Russian assets in its airspace.
It then said Warsaw’s military operation was ongoing and urged people to stay at home, naming the regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as most at risk.
This is the first time that NATO planes engaged with potential targets in allied airspace, a NATO spokesperson said.
The Polish police force said that officers found a damaged drone in the eastern village of Czosnowka at around 5.40am UK time.
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Poland’s Patriot air defence systems. File pics: Reuters
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk repeated on social media that “an operation is underway related to the repeated violation of Polish airspace”.
A government spokesperson said Mr Tusk would chair an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning.
Russia’s strikes appear to have been targeting Lviv, in Ukraine’s eastern region, with its mayor Andriy Sadovy posting on Telegram that explosions were heard in the city.
Poland’s defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also said the country is “in constant contact with NATO command”.
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Ukraine’s air force had earlier said on Telegram that Russian drones had entered NATO-member Poland’s airspace, threatening the city of Zamosc, but it removed that statement.
Meanwhile, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration, Poland also closed four airports – including Warsaw’s Chopin terminal – after Russia launched its drone strikes.
It added that the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in Poland’s southeast, a hub for passenger and arms transfers to Ukraine, was among the airports that had been temporarily closed.
Chopin Airport was temporarily closed for a few hours due to ongoing military operations, before reopening.
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Trump ‘crucial’ in bringing Putin to negotiating table
Trump says next call with Putin soon
According to CNN, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been briefed on the reports.
It comes as Donald Trump said he plans on speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin soon – weeks after their first face-to-face in years.
Speaking in Washington DC, the US president said he thinks a call will happen “this week or early next week”.
It also comes after NATO secretary Mark Rutte told Sky’s Yalda Hakim that he believes Mr Trump is “crucial” in bringing Mr Putin to the negotiating table.