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Poland shot down multiple Russian drones that violated its airspace on Wednesday during Moscow's strikes on Ukraine, marking the first time a NATO member has used weapons against Russian objects during the war, officials said.
The Polish Armed Forces Operational Command called the incursions an "unprecedented" violation that "created a real threat" to the country's security, prompting immediate defensive action.
"Aircraft have used weapons against hostile objects," Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on social media platform X. "We are in constant contact with NATO command."
Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an extraordinary Cabinet meeting at 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) as military operations continued across eastern Poland. The government closed major airports, including Warsaw International, Modlin, Lublin and Rzeszow-Jasionka.
"This is an act of aggression that has created a real threat to the safety of our citizens," the Operational Command said in a statement.
Polish and allied radars tracked "several dozen objects" during Russia's attack on neighboring Ukraine, with some unmanned aerial vehicles penetrating Polish airspace, according to military officials.
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Authorities ordered residents in the most threatened regions—Podlaskie, Mazowieckie and Lubelskie provinces—to remain at home while military operations continue.
"We emphasize that military operations are ongoing, and we appeal for people to stay at home," the Armed Forces Operational Command said.
The Territorial Defense Forces were activated for ground searches of downed drones, with Kosiniak-Kamysz warning citizens not to approach any debris and to inform police immediately if fragments are found.
Tusk said he briefed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the situation and measures taken. President Karol Nawrocki scheduled a briefing at the National Security Bureau.
"I received a report from the Operational Commander of the Armed Forces about shooting down drones that entered our airspace and could pose a threat. The operation continues," Tusk posted on X.
The incursions occurred as Russia unleashed strikes across Ukraine, including in the western city of Lviv, approximately 50 miles from the Polish border.
The Polish Territorial Defense Forces shortened the reporting period for soldiers in affected regions. Soldiers in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Podkarpackie provinces could receive emergency call-ups within six hours, while those in six other provinces face 12-hour readiness requirements.
Government spokesman Adam Szlapka confirmed Tusk was meeting with ministers responsible for national security as the situation developed.
Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said both Nawrocki and Tusk had been fully briefed and urged the public to follow announcements from the Polish Army and police.
Wednesday's incident marks an escalation from previous airspace violations.
Last month, Warsaw said a Russian military drone flew into its airspace and exploded in farmland in eastern Poland, calling it a "provocation."
In 2023, Poland said a Russian missile had crossed into its airspace to strike Ukraine.
In November 2022, two civilians were killed when a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile fell on a Polish village near the border.
The incident comes a day after President Nawrocki warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to invade more countries after launching his war in Ukraine.
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