Poland claims Russian drones violated its airspace

Poland said Wednesday that it downed drone-type objects that repeatedly violated its airspace during Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets.

Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that there had been an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine.

It said the act created a real threat to the country and Polish forces used weapons against the intruding objects.

Polish and allied radars tracked several dozen objects, and some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that violated airspace could have posed a threat and were shot down, it said.

Authorities ordered residents in the most threatened regions — Podlaskie, Mazowieckie and Lubelskie provinces — to remain at home while military operations continue.

We emphasize that military operations are ongoing and we appeal for people to stay at home, it said.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that an operation was underway and that the army was using weapons against the objects.

He said he is in constant communication with President Karol Nawrocki and Defense Minister Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

Tusk said he also briefed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the current situation and the measures taken regarding objects violating their airspace.

Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland is in constant contact with NATO command. He said the Territorial Defense Forces have been activated for ground searches of downed drones.

Poland also closed major airports, including Warsaw International, Modlin, Lublin and Rzeszow-Jasionka, due to the security situation.

As a result of these developments, the Polish Territorial Defense Forces announced that the reporting period for soldiers has been shortened.

It said soldiers in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie could receive an emergency call-up within six hours, while soldiers in Pomorskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Swietokrzyskie and Malopolskie could be called up within 12 hours. The forces said no calls are planned for the rest of the country in the next 24 hours.