Poland Claims Russian Drones Crossed Border in Attack on Ukraine

Poland’s military reported Wednesday that Russian drones repeatedly crossed into its airspace during strikes targeting Ukraine.
“During today’s Russian Federation attack on Ukraine, our airspace was repeatedly violated by drones,” Poland’s armed forces operational command said in a statement on social media. It added that efforts were underway to track, neutralize, and recover drones that had been downed.
Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled in response, and Warsaw’s main Chopin Airport was temporarily closed. A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration notice cited “unplanned military activity related to state security.”
The incident came a day after Poland’s new nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, warned in Helsinki that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is ready to also invade other countries.”
Poland, a NATO member and staunch supporter of Ukraine, hosts more than a million Ukrainian refugees and serves as a vital hub for Western aid deliveries.
Russian drones and missiles have previously strayed into the airspace of NATO states including Poland, Romania, Latvia, and Lithuania during the three-and-a-half-year war. Just last month, Poland accused Moscow of a “provocation” after a Russian drone exploded in farmland in the country’s east.