Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Poland has raised the readiness level of its air defense systems along its eastern border in response to increased drone activity near Ukrainian territory, the country’s military announced on Saturday.
In a statement released by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, officials confirmed that Polish military aircraft had been deployed to monitor and secure the country’s airspace. The move comes amid growing concerns over the threat posed by drones operating in areas adjacent to the Ukrainian border.
“Due to the risk of drone attacks in Ukrainian border regions adjacent to the Republic of Poland, military aviation has begun operating within our airspace,” the statement said. “To ensure the safety of our skies, the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces has activated all necessary measures.”
According to the statement, both Polish and allied aircraft are currently operating in the affected airspace, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have been placed on maximum alert.
Military officials emphasized that the measures are purely preventive and aimed at maintaining national security. “This operation is precautionary in nature,” the command noted. “It is intended to guarantee the safety of Polish territory.”
The heightened alert follows comments by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk earlier in the week, in which he claimed that Polish forces had shot down what he described as “dangerous” drones over national territory. Tusk alleged that the drones were of Russian origin, although he did not present evidence to support the claim.
Russia has denied any involvement. The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that its drone operations are strictly limited to military targets inside Ukraine and that it had not carried out any attacks on Polish territory.
The incident underscores rising tensions along NATO’s eastern flank as the war in Ukraine continues to spill over into neighboring countries, raising fears of broader escalation.
