Polish authorities have implemented air traffic restrictions along the country’s eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Armed Forces announced Thursday.
The move comes one day after suspected Russian drones violated Polish airspace during attacks targeting Ukraine. Poland shot down several drones on Wednesday morning with support from NATO ally aircraft, marking the first time a NATO member has opened fire amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“At the request of the Operational Command of the Armed Forces, air traffic restrictions will be implemented in eastern Poland under the restricted zone EP R129,” said the Polish Air Navigation Agency in a statement.
The restrictions took effect at midnight on Wednesday and will remain in place until December 9, 2025. Civilian flights are prohibited from sunrise to sunset, except for aircraft operating under approved flight plans with transponders and two-way communication with air authorities.
The restrictions do not apply to military flights and certain special mission flights with specific clearances.
“From sunset to sunrise, there is a full flight ban, except for military aircraft. In zone EP R129, there is a 24-hour prohibition on unmanned civilian aerial vehicles,” the agency added.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its drones conducted a major strike on military targets in western Ukraine but did not intend to hit any targets in Poland.
