Poland and its NATO allies scrambled fighter jets early Wednesday after Ukraine's air force warned that Russian suicide drones had entered or were heading toward Polish airspace, prompting commercial flight diversions and temporary airport closures.
Poland's Operational Command said allied and Polish aircraft were operating in the country's airspace and that ground-based air-defence and radar reconnaissance systems had been brought to "the highest state of readiness." The command said the measures were preventative and aimed at protecting citizens in regions bordering Ukraine and that forces remained prepared to respond.
The Ukrainian air force posted on the messaging platform X that drones were heading west and threatened the Polish city of Zamość. Ukrainian media also reported at least one drone was heading toward the western Polish city of Rzeszów, though Polish officials did not immediately confirm whether any drones had entered Polish airspace. Authorities in Rzeszów closed the Rzeszów–Jasionka airport and issued air-traffic restrictions scheduled to remain in place until 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Ukrainian media reported.
Commercial flights in the region were diverted as NATO and Polish forces tracked the situation. Poland's Operational Command said the steps taken were precautionary and that the situation continued to be monitored. It gave no immediate estimate of the number of drones involved.
The warning came hours after a Russian airstrike in eastern Ukraine killed 24 elderly people who were collecting pensions in the village of Yarova, near Sloviansk, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy posted footage on X and urged international action, saying in part that the world "must not remain silent" and calling for responses from the United States, Europe and the G20. Regional officials said all of the dead were elderly and that 19 others were wounded. Moscow did not immediately comment on the attack. Russia has previously denied intentionally targeting civilians.
The incidents add to heightened tensions along the Poland–Ukraine border and broader concerns among NATO members about the conflict spilling across front lines. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022; tens of thousands of people have been killed since, according to multiple estimates, and the war has drawn sustained military, economic and diplomatic responses from NATO and Western countries.
Poland, a NATO member that shares a long border with Ukraine, has repeatedly emphasized the alliance's role in deterring threats to its territory and supporting Ukraine. In recent months allies have increased patrols and air defence deployments in eastern NATO countries amid concerns about cross-border strikes, drone incidents and other spillover risks from the fighting in Ukraine.
Poland's Operational Command said it would continue to monitor the situation and that further information would be released as it became available. Ukrainian and Polish officials urged civilians in affected areas to follow local safety guidance.