Poland hit by Shahed attack: Airports closed, three regions targeted
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (Photo: Getty Images)
On the night of Wednesday, September 10, Russian attack drones violated Polish airspace. Aviation units were deployed to repel the aerial threat.
RBC-Ukraine reports everything known about the Russian drone attack on Poland.
Key questions:
- Over 10 Shahed drones may have crossed the Polish border.
- Four airports in the country were closed.
- Three voivodeships were under threat of drone attacks.
Shahed drones enter Poland
Around 1:00 a.m., the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian attack drones had crossed the Ukrainian border and entered Polish airspace. According to the Air Force, the hostile drones were moving toward the city of Zamość.
The city is located approximately 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Throughout the night, monitoring channels also reported that several more groups of enemy drones may have crossed into Polish airspace, referring to more than 10 Shahed drones.
Poland scrambled its air force
Later, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces announced that aviation had been deployed to ensure the security of Polish airspace. Ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems were put on the highest state of readiness.
Moreover, data from Flightradar24 indicated that an F-35 fighter jet was also operating in Polish airspace.
Airport closures
Due to the threat of Russian drones, the airspace over four Polish airports was closed.
Initially, this applied to Rzeszów, but over the next few hours, the airports in Lublin, Warsaw, and Modlin were also closed.
Three voivodeships at risk
According to the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, the regions under the greatest threat were the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin voivodeships.
Polish authorities’ response
Poland’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Cezary Tomczyk, reported that an operation is underway to neutralize objects that violated and crossed the national border.
“The country’s authorities, including the President and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, have been informed. All services are active. We urge everyone to follow updates from the Polish Army and police,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Polish forces have used weapons against the targets.
“I have received a direct report from the Operational Commander,” Tusk said.
International reaction
US Congressman Joe Wilson accused Russia of declaring war on Poland and called for providing Ukraine with weapons to strike Russian territory. He urged the Trump administration to respond immediately to such actions.
According to Wilson, strict sanctions must be imposed urgently to cripple Russia’s military capabilities, and Ukraine should receive arms that enable it to hit targets on Russian soil.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator and member of the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin, stated that these incidents are a clear warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin is testing NATO’s resolve to defend Poland and the Baltic states.
“After the carnage Putin continues to visit on Ukraine, these incursions cannot be ignored,” he emphasized.
The report was prepared using information from the Air Force, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, local authorities, and statements from the congressman and senator.
