Poland deployed domestic and allied military aircraft in a "preventive" operation Saturday after authorities said there was a threat of drone strikes in areas of Ukraine near the Polish border. The alert lasted about two hours and prompted the temporary closure of Lublin Airport in eastern Poland.
The Polish military's operational command said on X that ground-based air defense and reconnaissance systems were placed on high alert while the air operation was under way. Prime Minister Donald Tusk also posted that "preventive air operations" had begun in Polish airspace because of the threat posed by Russian drones operating over nearby areas of Ukraine.
Poland's Air Navigation Services Agency said Lublin Airport was closed to air traffic "due to military aviation activities." The government's security center warned of a threat of air attack for several counties along Poland's eastern border. Later Saturday the military's operational command posted that the operation "has been completed" and that ground-based defense and reconnaissance systems had returned to normal.
The deployment followed an incident Wednesday in which multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish territory, prompting NATO fighter jets to engage and shoot them down. Western leaders said the incursions appeared to be deliberate provocations tied to Russia's war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022 and has raised long-standing concerns about the conflict spilling into neighboring NATO countries.
Moscow has denied targeting Poland and called the episodes unrelated to its operations. Belarus, an ally of Russia, said the drones had gone off course because they were jammed. Polish authorities and NATO allies have repeatedly warned about the risks posed by drone and missile activity near alliance airspace.
Polish aircraft have been scrambled repeatedly in recent months to patrol national airspace in connection with strikes in Ukraine, officials said, though those Russian strikes have often occurred overnight or in the early morning. Saturday's preventive action was framed by officials as a measure to secure Polish airspace and protect citizens rather than a response to an immediate incursion.
Separately, Romania said it deployed two F-16 jets on Saturday to intercept a drone that briefly entered its airspace. The Romanian defense ministry said the drone "did not fly over inhabited areas and did not represent an imminent danger to the security of the population." It added that specialist teams would search for potential debris. Romanian authorities did not specify where they believed the drone originated.
NATO has maintained an elevated presence in eastern alliance countries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has carried out air policing and interception missions to deter and, when necessary, respond to airspace violations. Governments in the region have emphasized continued vigilance and cooperation with NATO partners to monitor and defend alliance airspace as the war in Ukraine continues to evolve.