Poland Scrambles Jets After Russian Drone Attack

Poland scrambled fighter jets and placed ground-based air defenses and radar systems on alert after Russia launched jet-powered drones against western Ukraine near the Polish border on Sept. 16. Authorities temporarily suspended flights at the Lublin and Rzeszów airports and issued warnings to residents in parts of the Lublin and Podkarpackie regions, including areas near Przemyśl, citing precautionary measures to protect Polish airspace. The military operation ended within about an hour, airport operations resumed, and officials reported no violation of Polish airspace or damage to border infrastructure. Polish authorities said a Russian strike drone crashed in Ukraine’s Volyn region near the border, while recent attacks have also hit sites and transport links close to Polish territory. President Karol Nawrocki is expected to convene senior defense and security officials to assess the situation as Warsaw expresses heightened concern about repeated incidents near NATO territory.