On Oct. 18, 2026, Poland scrambled military aircraft twice in response to Russian air attacks on Ukraine. Alerts were issued to residents of the Lublin and Subcarpathian regions warning of Polish aircraft operating in national airspace while monitoring the threat. No violations of Polish airspace were reported. These precautionary measures coincided with Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine, including a drone attack near Lviv that caused a warehouse fire. The Polish military's actions aimed to monitor and protect its airspace amid ongoing aggressive Russian aerial campaigns targeting Ukraine. Previous incidents include a confirmed Russian cruise missile entering Polish airspace in July 2026 and a brief helicopter incursion in September 2026, both underscoring the heightened risk to NATO border states.

On Oct. 18, 2026, Poland scrambled military aircraft twice in response to Russian air attacks on Ukraine. Alerts were issued to residents of the Lublin and Subcarpathian regions warning of Polish aircraft operating in national airspace while monitoring the threat. No violations of Polish airspace were reported. These precautionary measures coincided with Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine, including a drone attack near Lviv that caused a warehouse fire. The Polish military's actions aimed to monitor and protect its airspace amid ongoing aggressive Russian aerial campaigns targeting Ukraine. Previous incidents include a confirmed Russian cruise missile entering Polish airspace in July 2026 and a brief helicopter incursion in September 2026, both underscoring the heightened risk to NATO border states.