Polish and allied forces were monitoring several objects. The Operational Commander of the Armed Forces decided to neutralize those that could pose a threat. The provinces most at risk were Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lubelskie.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk informed the Sejm that the first airspace violation was recorded around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The last one was registered around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. In total, 19 precise border crossings were identified. Three drones were confirmed shot down, and the downing of a fourth is considered highly likely. Many objects entered directly from Belarus.

The Operational Command described last night’s events as an “unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drone-type objects” and as an “act of aggression that created a real threat to the safety of our citizens.”

Warning about drone fragments

Parts of hostile drones may have fallen on Polish territory. The General Staff of the Polish Army urges everyone not to approach such fragments if found, but instead to inform the police. “These elements may still be dangerous and must be checked by sappers,” the General Staff warned..

The Territorial Defense Forces have been tasked with searching for fragments of the downed drones, the defense minister announced. According to Deputy Minister of the Interior and Administration Czesław Mroczek, the army is cooperating with the Police, Border Guard, and State Fire Service.

First drones found

According to prosecutors’ reports (1, 2, 3, 4), drone wreckage has been found in at least 15 localities: 8 in Lubelskie, 3 in Świętokrzyskie, 2 in Mazowieckie, 1 in Łódzkie, and 1 in Warmińsko-Mazurskie. 

In Wyryki Wola (Włodawa county, Lubelskie province), what prosecutors called an “unidentified flying object” caused damage to a residential building. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether it was a drone or a fragment thereof.

Airports resume normal operations

Airspace over part of the country was temporarily closed due to military activity, halting operations at Chopin Airport. Shortly after 7:30 a.m., however, the airport announced the reopening of airspace.

The ban on takeoffs and landings also applied to Warsaw-Modlin, Rzeszów-Jasionka, and Lublin airports. A spokesperson for the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency told TVN24 that operations at Modlin and Rzeszów airports have already resumed.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Lublin Airport informed PAP that no flights were canceled: “It was the airspace that was closed. We had no scheduled nighttime operations.”

Possible target: Ukraine

The events of last night are linked to Russia’s attack on targets in Ukraine, during which 415 Shahed-type drones were launched.

Three weeks ago, a Russian drone crashed on Polish territory. On the night of August 19–20, one such object fell in Osiny (Łuków county, Lubelskie province).

Another drone, fragments of which were found on September 6 in the municipality of Krynice (Tomaszów county, Lubelskie), showed no military features and was most likely a smuggling drone. Nor was the drone that crashed two days later near the Terespol border crossing a combat drone, although Cyrillic inscriptions were found on its parts.

Share only verified information

In times of danger, spreading unverified information is especially harmful. Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk asked the public to share only information from the army and state services.

Official X (Twitter) accounts where further information may appear:

• Government Center for Security
• Operational Command of the Armed Forces
• General Staff of the Polish Army
• Ministry of National Defense
• Ministry of the Interior and Administration
• National Police Headquarters