Poland scrambles fighters, shuts two airports as Russian drone nears border

Poland's Government Center for Security issued an air attack warning to residents of two eastern regions on September 17, 2026, after a Russian jet-powered drone headed toward the Polish border.

The alert covered every county and city with county status in Lublin Voivodeship and Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Recipients were told to seek a safe place. It was cancelled at 12:48 local time, with a follow-up message stating that the threat had been withdrawn and that Polish territory was not at risk.

Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command said military aircraft began operating in Polish airspace from 11:40 local time in response to Russian strikes on western Ukraine involving jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were placed at readiness.

The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency reported that Lublin Airport and Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport temporarily halted flight operations to allow military aviation freedom of movement.

A command spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Goryszewski, said Ukraine had notified Poland of an object approaching the border at high speed, and that Polish radar also tracked it, which led to the decision to launch fighters. He said the drone most likely struck a target or was neutralised three to four kilometres inside Ukraine, and that the command was still reviewing its system records.

The drone came down three to four kilometres (roughly two to two and a half miles) inside Ukrainian territory, according to the Operational Command.