Poland scrambles NATO defences after 'unprecedented violation' of airspace by Russian drones

Russia has carried out an "unprecedented violation" of Poland's airspace, according to Warsaw's military command.

In a statement on X, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it had detected drones in its airspace as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine. "There was an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace," it said, adding: "This is an act of aggression that posed a real threat to the safety of our citizens." Earlier, the command said it had scrambled its own and NATO allied air defences, marking the first time in the war that Poland had directly engaged Russian assets in its airspace.

It then said Warsaw's military operation was ongoing and urged people to stay at home, naming the regions of Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, and Lublin as most at risk. The Polish police force said that officers found a damaged drone in the eastern village of Czosnowka at around 5.40am in the UK.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk repeated on social media that "an operation is underway related to the repeated violation of Polish airspace". A government spokesperson said Mr Tusk would chair an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning.

Russia's strikes appear to have been targeting Lviv, in Ukraine's eastern region, with its mayor Andriy Sadovy posting on Telegram that explosions were heard in the city. Poland's defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also said the country is "in constant contact with NATO command".

Poland has been on high alert for airspace incursions since 2022, when a stray Ukrainian missile struck a southern village and killed two people. Ukraine's air force had earlier said on Telegram that Russian drones had entered NATO-member Poland's airspace, threatening the city of Zamosc, but it removed that statement.

Meanwhile, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration, Poland also closed four airports - including Warsaw's Chopin terminal - after Russia launched its drone strikes. It added that the Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport in Poland's southeast, a hub for passenger and arms transfers to Ukraine, was among the airports that had been temporarily closed.

Chopin Airport later confirmed it is temporarily closed due to ongoing military operations. Read more from Sky News:More than 20 killed in 'brutal' Russian strike, Zelenskyy saysHow much does the UK rely on legal migration?Trump denies knowledge of Israel's strike on Qatar Trump says next call with Putin soon According to CNN, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been briefed on the reports.

It comes as Donald Trump said he plans on speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin soon - weeks after their first face-to-face in years. Speaking in Washington DC, the US president said he thinks a call will happen "this week or early next week".

It also comes after NATO secretary Mark Rutte told Sky's Yalda Hakim that he believes Mr Trump is "crucial" in bringing Mr Putin to the negotiating table. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app.

You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.