In response to the recent wave of long-range missile strikes by Russian forces on targets in western Ukraine, Polish and allied aircraft were deployed in Polish airspace during the night. This intense activity, observed and reported early Sunday morning by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, aimed to ensure the security of Poland’s airspace.
“With the conclusion of the long-range missile strikes by the Russian Federation’s air force on targets in the western part of Ukraine, the operation of military aviation in Polish airspace has been completed, and the deployed forces and resources have returned to standard operational activities,” announced the Operational Command via social media.
The night saw heightened activity from the Russian air force, which conducted missile attacks on various targets, including those in western Ukraine. As a precautionary measure, Polish and allied aircraft were mobilized to operate within Polish airspace, particularly increasing aerial presence in the southeastern regions of the country. This deployment might have led to elevated noise levels in these areas, as noted by the Operational Command.
By morning, the Command confirmed the end of these maneuvers. The last significant activity from the Russian air force in connection with these strikes was recorded during the night of May 7th to 8th.
The Operational Command emphasized that all necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace were activated. The situation continues to be closely monitored to respond to any further developments promptly.
They have been discussing this for a while. Leading German politicians said they’d agree. Here’s a link to the German article (the English summary is mine):
Archived unpaywalled link (in German)
Leading members of the German Bundestag from the CDU, FDP and Greens are considering the possibility of protecting parts of the airspace over Ukraine from NATO territory with Western air defense.
The example of Israel, where air defense units from the US, Great Britain, France and other countries repelled an Iranian air attack in April, shows that participating states do not necessarily have to become “the war party”, they argue.
The idea have been put forward by military experts like Nico Lange from the Munich Security Conference. In Lange’s view, this could create a “safe zone of up to 70 kilometres wide” on Ukraine’s borders to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
Roderich Kiesewetter German from the conservative party CDU told the German paper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” that such a deployment at the eastern border of NATO could shoot down ‘unmanned Russian missiles’ over Ukraine", relieving the Ukrainian air defense and enable it to “protect the front”, he says.
Marcus Faber of the ruling party FDP, who is supposed to be the future head of the defense committee, also noted that “the airspace over the Ukrainian border regions” could in principle be protected “by air defense systems on NATO territory”.
“I think that this is possible,” said Faber.
Agnieszka Brugger from the ruling Green party also supported the idea of “deploying air defense systems at the borders of the neighbouring states so that the western parts of Ukraine can also be protected”. Anton Hofreiter from the Green party and chairman of the European Committee shares Brugger’s view, according to the paper.