Poland scrambles military helicopter and alerts border regions during Russian strikes on western Ukraine

Military response and air defence activation

The Polish Armed Forces raised the combat readiness of selected air defence units on 12 September 2026 following Russian air strikes in neighbouring Ukraine. The Operational Command of the Armed Forces announced that Russian unmanned aerial vehicles targeted locations across the western portion of Ukraine during the afternoon. In response to the drone activity near the sovereign border, Polish military commanders ordered a military helicopter into domestic airspace to carry out continuous surveillance and patrol tasks. Ground and air crews from the national Air Defence System entered an elevated posture to safeguard Polish airspace and monitor cross-border activity. Command authorities confirmed that active observation will persist as long as combat operations continue near Polish territory. Military officials emphasized that all measures taken along the eastern frontier are preventative and designed to protect areas adjacent to the combat zone.

The actions are preventive and are aimed at ensuring the security of Polish airspace, especially in areas adjacent to the areas affected by Russian strikes.

Government emergency warnings in border regions

Shortly after the military activation, the Government Centre for Security (Rządowe Centrum Bezpieczeństwa) dispatched emergency mobile alerts across two south-eastern border voivodeships. The warning reached residents located throughout the Lublin and Podkarpacie regions to inform them of the ongoing military activity and aerial strikes across the border. Authorities transmitted the public safety message in both Polish and English to ensure full coverage among residents and foreign nationals in the area. The notification confirmed that Polish military aviation was operating in sovereign airspace to monitor developments and instructed civilians to track official updates. Security officials noted that the border situation is being continuously supervised and that the alert status remains in effect until officially cancelled.

Attention! Attention! Attention! Russian air attack in Ukraine. Situation is monitored. Polish aviation operates in Polish airspace. Follow announcements.

Distribution across Lublin counties

The security advisory covered 25 administrative districts and city counties in the Lublin Voivodeship and 24 in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. In the Lublin region, alerts were issued to major urban centres including Lublin, Chełm, Zamość, and Biała Podlaska. The coverage area extended to eastern border counties including Hrubieszów, Tomaszów Lubelski, and Włodawa, alongside the districts of Puławy, Opole Lubelskie, Kraśnik, Janów Lubelski, Łęczna, and Świdnik. The notification also encompassed the counties of Krasnystaw, Biłgoraj, Łuków, Biała Podlaska county, Ryki, Radzyń Podlaski, Parczew, Lublin county, and Lubartów. State emergency systems routed notifications to every mobile device connected to local cellular towers across these designated jurisdictions.

Podkarpacie coverage and continuous monitoring

In Podkarpackie, emergency notifications were delivered to urban centres including Rzeszów, Przemyśl, Krosno, and Tarnobrzeg. The alert area incorporated northern and central districts such as Stalowa Wola, Nisko, Leżajsk, Kolbuszowa, Mielec, Dębica, Ropczyce-Sędziszów, Łańcut, Przeworsk, Jarosław, and Lubaczów. In southern Podkarpacie, the advisory encompassed Jasło, Strzyżów, Brzozów, Sanok, Lesko, and the Bieszczady district along the southern frontier. The Operational Command reiterated that subordinated air defence forces remain on continuous watch and in immediate readiness to react to any violation of sovereign airspace. Emergency services and regional crisis management centres instructed residents across both provinces to maintain vigilance and observe subsequent official announcements.