Airplanes of Lot and Wizz Air airlines, parked on a track of Frederic Chopin International Airport in Warsaw on the morning of September 10, 2025, photo: Associated Press / Profimedia Images
Poland has introduced restrictions on air traffic along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Armed Forces announced on Thursday, against the backdrop of increased tensions after the member of NATO, he broke several Russian drones that violated his air space.
Poland has shot down suspicious Russian drones in his airspace on Wednesday morning, with the support of the planes of allied NATO. The incident marked the first known opportunity in which a member of the North Atlantic Alliance fired firearms during the war triggered by Russia against Ukraine.
“At the request of the Operational Command of the branches of the armed forces (…) Air traffic restrictions will be introduced in the eastern part of Poland in the form of the restricted area EP R129,” the Polish air navigation agency said in a statement published Wednesday night.
The restrictions came into effect on Wednesday, at 10:00 pm GMT, and applies until December 9, the agency said.
Military planes and other races will be exempted from restrictions
Flights in the restricted area are prohibited from sunrise to sunset, except for piloted aircraft operating in accordance with a flight plan, have appropriate transponcy and maintain two -way communication with air authorities.
Restrictions also provide exceptions to military flights and some additional special flights.
“From the west to the east there is a total prohibition of flights, except for military aircraft … In the area of EP R129 there is a 24 -hour prohibition for civil flights of unanswered aircraft,” the agency said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that its drones had made a major attack on military installations in western Ukraine, but that there was no intention to hit targets in Poland.
