A section of Polish airspace southeast of the capital was briefly closed due to “unplanned military activity,” as Russia launched a fresh wave of attacks on Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.
The Polish armed forces confirmed that fighter jets were deployed to safeguard the country’s airspace, describing the move as a preventive measure to ensure public safety. The airspace closure, which affected the cities of Lublin and Rzeszów, was expected to remain in place until early morning.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force reported that nationwide air raid sirens were active from 03:00 GMT on Sunday in response to the ongoing Russian missile strikes.
Earlier this month, Polish and NATO forces intercepted Russian drones that entered Polish airspace, marking their first direct military engagement with Moscow since the 2022 invasion, Al Jazeera reported.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned NATO and the European Union that “any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response.”
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Lavrov said Moscow had no intention of attacking the West but was prepared to respond if provoked. Meanwhile, NATO announced on Saturday that it is upgrading its mission in the Baltic Sea with an air defence frigate and other assets, including “intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms,” in response to drone incursions in Denmark.
According to Al Jazeera, unidentified drones were seen near Danish military installations overnight on Saturday, prompting authorities to label the incidents as hybrid attacks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it was “the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date.”
Copenhagen airport, the busiest in the Nordic region, was forced to close temporarily, while five smaller Danish airports, both civilian and military, were also shut for short periods in the following days.
In neighbouring Norway, police confirmed they were investigating possible drone sightings near Oerland air force base, the central hub for the country’s F-35 jets. In Germany, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said a drone “swarm” was spotted over Schleswig-Holstein, adding that he wants to revise air safety laws to allow the armed forces to shoot down drones, Al Jazeera reported.
On Friday, defence ministers from about 10 EU countries said they want to prioritise building a “drone wall” to secure their borders. In response, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the measures would lead to “an increase in military and political tensions on our continent,” according to state news agency RIA Novosti The ministry also claimed the plans amounted to “personal ambitions and political games of the EU’s ruling elites.”
