Poland and Latvia have closed airspace along their borders with Russia and Belarus after at least 19 Russian drones violated Polish airspace this week, prompting NATO jets to shoot some down. Lithuania had already declared a no-fly zone with Belarus after drone crashes, while Estonia, the only Baltic state yet to impose restrictions, recently protested a Russian helicopter incursion.
On Saturday, Poland scrambled military jets and temporarily shut Lublin Airport as a precaution against drone strikes in nearby western Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said allied air forces and ground defences are on high alert.
The incidents have triggered NATO’s new Eastern Sentry operation, announced Friday, which will integrate air and ground assets with contributions from allies including Denmark, France, the UK, and Germany, underscoring a heightened defensive posture on the alliance’s eastern flank.