Poland has scrambled military aircraft and placed air defence systems on heightened alert after overnight Russian strikes near its border with Ukraine, underscoring the risks of a war increasingly fought close to NATO territory.
The Polish armed forces confirmed that aircraft were operating in Polish airspace in response to the attacks, with radar reconnaissance and ground-based air defence systems activated as a precaution.
In a statement on X, the military said the measures were intended to protect Polish airspace near the threatened regions. It added that the situation was being monitored and that forces remained ready to respond.
The statement did not report a direct attack on Poland’s territory. But the deployment highlights Warsaw’s concern that Russian strikes against western Ukraine could create risks for neighbouring NATO members, whether through miscalculation, stray weapons or further escalation.
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The alert comes as countries along NATO’s eastern flank remain on guard over repeated reports of drone incursions and suspicious activity near their airspace and territorial waters. Poland, Romania, Moldova and the Baltic states have all faced security concerns linked to the proximity of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The latest Russian attacks killed at least 10 civilians and injured 73 others across Ukraine in the 24 hours leading up to October 18, according to regional authorities. Three western Ukrainian regions were targeted on the morning of October 18, extending Moscow’s campaign against infrastructure and other targets across the country.
For Warsaw, the proximity of the fighting presents a persistent security challenge. Poland is a key NATO member and a major supporter of Ukraine, making the protection of its eastern approaches central to the alliance’s wider deterrence posture.
The latest alert coincided with a major Ukrainian drone assault on Russia. Hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles were reportedly directed towards Moscow and St Petersburg, while footage circulating online appeared to show fires at an oil terminal and a large data centre in St Petersburg.
Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its forces had shot down about 1,015 Ukrainian drones across Moscow and several western regions. That figure has not been independently verified.
The exchanges underline the growing reach of drone warfare, which allows both sides to strike targets far from the front line and places pressure on air defences across a widening geographical area.
For NATO, the immediate concern is not evidence of a direct Russian attack on Poland, but the possibility that repeated strikes near alliance borders could increase the risk of an incident with consequences beyond Ukraine.
Warsaw’s response was precautionary. Yet the activation of aircraft, radar and ground-based defences is a reminder that, as the war continues, NATO’s eastern members must remain prepared for threats that may arrive with little warning.
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