Poland scrambles jets and closes airports due to Russian attacks on Ukraine's west

Poland halted operations at Rzeszów and Lublin airports and issued an air-raid warning in several districts across two voivodeships due to an ongoing Russian air attack on Ukraine's western regions on the morning of 16 September.

Source: European Pravda, citing RMF24

Details: At approximately 08:00, Polish Armed Forces Operational Command issued a statement saying that Polish aircraft were being scrambled and ground-based defence systems placed on high alert due to the presence of Russian attack UAVs in Ukraine's west.

Shortly after 08:00, an air-raid warning was issued for parts of the Podkarpackie and Lublin voivodeships, including areas near the Ukrainian border around Przemyśl, Rzeszów and Lublin.

Operations at Lublin and Rzeszów airports were also halted.

Shortly before 08:00, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the movement of Russian jet-powered drones towards Ukraine's west, with one tracked near Kovel.

Background:

• Since 12-13 September, Russia has initiated a wave of attacks in close proximity to the Ukrainian-Polish border. The first targets were a petrol station near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing and the locomotive of a passenger train belonging to the state-run railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia, just 2 km from the border.
• On the night of 12-13 September, a drone hit a lorry near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing.
• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to improve border traffic flow with Ukraine to prevent vehicle congestion which could become a target for Russian attacks. The authorities also plan to reinforce security at border checkpoints.

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