Overview

• Poland’s Operational Command said Polish and allied aircraft were mobilized Saturday morning to safeguard Polish airspace during Russian attacks on targets in western Ukraine near the frontier.
• Pairs of fighters were scrambled and ground-based air defenses with reconnaissance radars were set to maximum alert as a precautionary measure.
• The activation concluded around 7:00 a.m. local time, and forces returned to normal posture after the immediate risk subsided.
• Officials characterized the move as preventive rather than a response to a confirmed violation of Polish airspace.
• The deployment follows earlier September incidents when 19 to 23 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, prompting shootdowns, property damage, and consultations under NATO’s Article 4.