Written by Lisa Murimi
Poland sounded the alarm on Saturday, scrambling fighter jets and placing its air defence systems on the highest alert after Russia unleashed a fresh wave of airstrikes on western Ukraine, dangerously close to the Polish border.
In a statement on X, Poland’s operational command confirmed that Polish and allied aircraft were mobilised to shield the nation’s skies, underscoring the fragility of security on NATO’s eastern flank.
“Ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” the military declared, signalling the gravity of the threat.
Ukraine had endured one of the largest overnight assaults since the war began, with swarms of missiles and drones raining down across its cities. By 0340 GMT, almost the entire country was under air raid sirens, as families huddled in shelters through the night.
Polish jets returned to base just after 0500 GMT when the barrage subsided, but Warsaw made clear the response was not routine.
“These measures were preventative, intended to secure airspace adjacent to the threatened area,” the command stressed.
For Poland, a NATO member that has long warned of Russia’s military adventurism, the escalation was a chilling reminder that the war in Ukraine is perilously close to spilling across borders.
The strikes rattled citizens who have watched with unease as the conflict inches closer to their homes.
The Polish military assured the public that no breach of its territory occurred, yet the spectre of Russian firepower on its doorstep highlighted a stark truth: Europe’s peace rests on vigilance and unity.
As NATO allies continue to monitor the skies, Poland’s latest response hints at both resolve and apprehension — a message that Moscow’s aggression will not go unanswered, even as the world fears the widening of a devastating war.
