The Polish military said combat aircraft and other air-defense assets were operating in the country’s airspace following Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory. The measures were described as preventive and aimed at protecting areas adjacent to regions potentially affected by the strikes.

The activation came as Russia carried out a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine, including attacks on the capital, Kyiv, prompting heightened vigilance among neighboring NATO states. Polish authorities said the operation was intended to ensure the integrity of national airspace and maintain readiness in the event of any spillover from the conflict.

Later on Sunday, Poland’s armed forces reported that no violations of Polish airspace had been detected during the Russian strikes. Military officials said the aviation deployment remained a precautionary response to developments across the border rather than a reaction to any direct incursion.

The latest activation reflects a pattern of heightened military alertness in Poland since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Warsaw has repeatedly scrambled aircraft, activated air-defense systems and coordinated with NATO allies when major Russian missile and drone attacks have targeted western Ukraine near the Polish border.

Poland, one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters within NATO, serves as a critical logistics corridor for Western military assistance flowing into Ukraine. The country has also expanded investments in air-defense infrastructure and surveillance capabilities amid growing regional security concerns.

Recent weeks have seen increased tensions across NATO’s eastern flank, including reports of drone-related incidents and military interceptions in the Baltic region. Earlier this month, Polish fighter aircraft intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over international waters in the Baltic Sea, which Warsaw characterized as a provocative action.

While Sunday’s operation concluded without any reported breach of Polish territory, the deployment underscored the continuing risk that Russia’s air campaign against Ukraine could affect neighboring alliance members and further elevate tensions .

Romania’s defense ministry said Russian forces had resumed drone attacks against civilian and infrastructure targets in Ukraine near the river border with Romania in Tulcea County early Saturday, raising concerns over repeated violations of Romanian airspace since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Emergency services said the drone came down in a residential area and may have carried an explosive charge, triggering a large-scale security response.“A drone crashed in a populated area,” emergency officials said in a statement, adding that authorities were assessing the risk posed by a “possible explosive charge.”

No casualties were reported, but an electricity pole and an outbuilding attached to a house were damaged. Gas supplies in the surrounding area were suspended as a precaution while bomb disposal teams secured the site.Romanian authorities evacuated more than 200 people from nearby homes as security personnel cordoned off the impact zone.

Romania, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, has repeatedly reported drone fragments landing on its territory during Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure along the Danube, particularly near the ports of Reni and Izmail.

Local media reported that this was the first instance in which debris from a Russian drone caused material damage inside Romanian territory, marking a significant escalation in the spillover risk from the war.Foreign Minister Oana Toiu summoned Russia’s ambassador following the incident, according to an official statement, signaling Bucharest’s continued diplomatic push against repeated airspace intrusions.

Romania adopted legislation in 2025 authorizing its military to shoot down drones that enter national airspace, although officials have not yet used those powers in any reported incident.

The latest crash underscores growing security concerns along NATO’s eastern flank as Russian strikes near Ukraine’s western and southern borders increasingly risk direct consequences for neighboring alliance members.

The Danube region has become a frequent target since Ukraine expanded its use of river export routes after repeated attacks on Black Sea shipping infrastructure.

Saturday’s incident is likely to intensify pressure on Romanian and NATO defense planners to strengthen air surveillance and rapid interception capabilities along the alliance’s southeastern border.