In a dramatic escalation of the Ukraine war’s spillover effects, Poland has for the first time in history shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace, forcing authorities to temporarily shut down multiple airports.
According to Polish military officials, surveillance systems detected over 10 airborne objects entering Polish airspace during a massive wave of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
Polish and NATO-integrated air defenses assessed the drones as posing a “real threat to public safety.” Those identified as dangerous were neutralized by fighter jets and air defense systems. The unprecedented move underscores both the growing risks of cross-border escalation and Poland’s determination to safeguard its territory. Temporary airport closures were enacted as a precautionary measure to protect civilian air traffic.
This marks the first time since the full-scale war began that Poland has directly engaged and destroyed Russian aerial targets over its territory — a development that could heighten tensions between Moscow and NATO.