Poland reveals it shut airports 'due to Russian military operations' as explosions heard near border
Poland temporarily shut two airports "due to operations of military aviation" by Russia as explosions sounded near Ukraine-Poland border.
Listen to this article
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said military operations in its airspace were "in connection with strikes carried out by the Russian Federation using unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine".
Airports in Lublin and Rzeszow temporarily shut in response.
Explosions sounded several kilometres from Ukraine's border with NATO member Poland on Thursday during a daytime Russian drone attack, a Ukrainian official said
Air raid sirens rang out in Subcarpathian and Lublin in eastern Poland, alerting locals to shelter.
Read More: Rebuild the Royal Navy or lose a war to Russia, first sea lord tells politicians
Read More: Russian warship fired two emergency flares at Danish military helicopter
Poland's Armed Forces added: "Ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a state of readiness.
"These actions are of a preventive nature and are aimed at securing airspace and its protection, especially in areas adjacent to threatened regions."
Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said: "The situation is the most dangerous. I didn't come here to scare you, I don't want to frighten anyone.
"I rather want to reassure, but I can't pass by indifferently, because later you'll say that no one warned you. You must pass this on also to those you will be talking to."
The Polish prime minister is continuing as normal as Donald Tusk is due to meet Austrian chancellor Christian Stocker in Warsaw, following talks on economic cooperation and regional security.
This comes after a Russian former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on a train close to the Ukraine-Poland border when a drone hit a train just behind.
Ukraine's state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said that "quite possibly, the target of this drone could have been the diplomatic train".
The train behind his was blown up by Putin's forces in a 'random and senseless attack' at around 5am local time on Sunday.
Russian forces launched an attack near the Yahodyn checkpoint along Ukraine’s border with Poland on Sept. 13.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) September 13, 2026
A nearby gas station was reportedly damaged in the strike, according to local authorities.
“Russia’s barbaric strikes near the Ukrainian-Polish border in Yahodyn are… pic.twitter.com/4wJuladGYM
This is a breaking news story. More to follow...