For the Polish authorities, this was a provocation too far. At 5:29 am on Wednesday, September 10, the operational command of the Polish armed forces reported that, during a Russian attack targeting Ukraine, "an unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by drones" had taken place. "This is an act of aggression that created a real threat to the safety of our citizens. On the order of the operational commander of the Polish armed forces, defensive procedures were immediately initiated," the statement said.

"Polish and allied [military] resources observed a dozen objects on radar, and for those that could pose a threat, the operational commander decided to neutralize them. Some of the drones that entered our airspace were shot down. Searches and the identification of potential crash sites for these objects are ongoing," the statement added.

The first alerts regarding these incidents were issued at 12:37 am on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. Around 8 am, the command confirmed the end of operations. Residents of three regions in eastern Poland received alerts on their cell phones from the Government Security Center, urging them to "stay calm." "Attention! As part of the operation to neutralize drones that violated the Polish border, please inform the authorities if you spot drones or their crash sites!" Both Warsaw airports, as well as those in the cities of Lublin and Rzeszow, were closed overnight. As of 7 am, all airports except Lublin had reopened.

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