Poland strikes down Russian drones that violated airspace in potential escalation of Ukraine war

Poland's military late Tuesday night announced that it has struck down Russian drones that allegedly violated its airspace during a military operation in Ukraine, marking a potential escalation of the war in Europe.

It is not clear how many Russian drones the military struck down or how many invaded Polish airspace, but Poland’s Operational Command said the operation as of 9:45 p.m. Eastern was still underway. 

"Attention, during today's attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on targets located in the territory of Ukraine, our airspace was repeatedly violated by drone-type objects," the military said on X. "On the orders of the Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces, weapons have been deployed, and services are actively working to locate the downed objects. We emphasize that the military operation is ongoing, and we urge people to stay at home."

The military said the Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lubelskie regions of Poland are the most threatened. Poland also closed the Warsaw International Airport in response to the drones. 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he has been briefed on the situation in Poland, according to CNN.

The Federal Aviation Administration earlier Tuesday also put out a notice to airmen that Warsaw Chopin Airport and at least two other Polish airports were unavailable “due to unplanned military activity related to ensuring state security.”

Poland's operations are considered a potential escalation in the war because of its status as a NATO country, which means that any response from Russia could be met with stronger military action from the alliance, which includes the U.S. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.