Alert on Poland’s border with Ukraine as fighter jets scramble after Russian attacks

Poland scrambled fighter aircraft on Saturday, Sept. 5, and warned residents in two southeastern regions after a new wave of Russian drone and missile attacks struck Ukraine near the Polish border.

The Government Security Centre sent alerts to people in Lublin and Podkarpackie at about 3 p.m. local time through mobile telephone networks and social media. Polish Air Force aircraft took off to monitor the country’s airspace. About an hour later, authorities announced that the danger had passed.

Poland has repeatedly taken similar measures since Russia began its invasion, whenever attacks on Ukraine have drawn close to its frontier. Saturday’s mobilization coincided with air-raid alerts in Ukraine, including the Kyiv region and several areas in the east, centre and west of the country.

The incident unfolded during a sensitive diplomatic moment. Donald Trump was seeking to accelerate a ceasefire by sending his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, first to Moscow and then to Kyiv.

Russia and Ukraine had meanwhile announced an agreement to temporarily suspend strikes on each other’s capitals during the American diplomatic mission. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a three-day pause in attacks on Kyiv, due to begin at midnight from Saturday into Sunday. The attacks that prompted Poland to scramble its aircraft took place before that pause was due to start.