Poland and its NATO allies took proactive measures on Saturday to secure the country’s airspace after a renewed threat of Russian drone strikes in neighboring Ukraine. This “preventative” operation, which lasted for two hours, was prompted by an alert from Poland’s military operational command and resulted in the closure of Lublin Airport in eastern Poland.
The alert comes just days after a significant incident on Wednesday, when multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace. That event, which saw NATO fighter jets shoot down at least three of the drones, marked a serious escalation and prompted Poland to invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which allows for formal consultations when a member’s security is threatened. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the earlier incursion as a “large-scale provocation.”
On Saturday, Tusk confirmed on social media that “preventive air operations” had begun due to the “threat posed by Russian drones operating over nearby areas of Ukraine.” The Polish military’s operational command stated that ground-based air defense and reconnaissance systems were on high alert to “secure the airspace and protect the country’s citizens.” The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency announced that Lublin Airport was closed to air traffic “due to military aviation activities.”
While Russia has denied intentionally targeting Poland, and its ally Belarus has suggested the drones went astray due to electronic warfare, European leaders remain convinced that the incursions were a deliberate provocation. The recurring nature of these events has led to a major response from NATO, which announced a new defensive initiative called “Eastern Sentry” to bolster air and ground defenses along its eastern flank. The mission will involve military assets from several allied nations, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.