Poland temporarily closed the airports of Radom and Lublin on October 29, 2025, citing military aviation operations following a wave of Russian attacks on neighboring Ukraine.
“Due to the need to ensure freedom of operation for military aviation, the airports in Radom and Lublin have been closed for the duration of the activities,” the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) announced.
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces (Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ) confirmed that Polish and allied aircraft had been launched following a series of Russian strikes on facilities in Ukraine.
“In connection with the Russian Federation’s attacks on facilities located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation began operating in our airspace,” the command said. “According to established procedures, the Operational Commander activated all available forces and assets at his disposal.”
Quick reaction alert fighter pairs and an airborne early warning aircraft were scrambled, while ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems were placed on the highest alert.
Currently, NATO forward deployments in Poland include Dutch and Norwegian F‑35A Lightning II fighters on quick-reaction alert, supported by allied airborne early-warning, air-refueling, and ground-based air-defense assets operating under the alliance’s enhanced eastern-flank posture.
“These actions are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing and protecting Polish airspace, especially in areas adjacent to threatened regions,” the statement continued.
The Operational Command said it is continuing to monitor the situation and that Polish and allied forces remain ready to respond immediately if necessary.
The move follows a renewed wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, some reportedly targeting infrastructure in the country’s western regions. Poland, a NATO member sharing a long border with Ukraine, has repeatedly raised its air defense readiness in response to such incidents since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Earlier on October 29, 2025, Polish fighter jets also intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea, according to the Polish military. The aircraft was flying without a flight plan and with its transponder switched off, making it invisible to civilian air traffic control systems. Polish authorities said the Russian plane did not violate national airspace.
