Poland scrambled its air defenses in response to Russian drone attacks on western Ukraine, marking the first instance of Warsaw engaging military assets in its airspace during the ongoing Ukraine war.

The Polish military reported that drones had repeatedly violated its airspace amid the Russian assault across the border. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak Kamysz confirmed that NATO command has been notified of the situation.

Military radars detected over ten objects and those deemed threatening were “neutralised”, according to a military statement. They further added, “some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Searches for potential crash sites are ongoing”.

Authorities urged residents in the affected regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie and Lublin to remain indoors as military operations continued. The Polish army characterised the airspace violations as an “act of aggression” with Kosiniak-Kamysz stating the Polish aircraft had engaged hostile targets.

The country’s largest airport, Chopin Airport in Warsaw, with the US Federal Aviation Administration confirming that four Polish airports including Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport, were temporarily shutdown.

Air raid alerts were active across all of Ukraine including the western Volyn and Lviv regions bordering Poland. Earlier, Ukraine’s airforce had reported Russian drones entering Polish airspace, posing a threat to the city of Zamosc although this statement was later retracted.

In response to the drone incursions, US Senator Dick Durbin remarked that these violations are indicative of Russian President Vladimir Putin testing NATO’s resolve to protect member states.

Republican Representative Jow Wilson labeled Russia’s actions an “act of war” against a NATO ally, urging US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions to weaken Russia’s military capabilities.

Trump indicated that he was prepared to escalate sanctions against Russia, reflecting a shift in strategy following unproductive peace negotiations.

Poland has maintained a heightened alert status since a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern village in 2022, killing two people.

The situation has prompted concerns regarding security especially with ongoing Russian-led military exercises in Belarus, which Poland plans to respond to by closing its border with Belarus.

Former US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges emphasised the need for effective responses to the increasing number of drone incursions stating “These are intentional tests of NATO and national air defenses”.