NATO scrambles jets as Poland activates air defenses after Russian drone strikes
Poland activated its air defences for the third time in two days on Thursday, September 24, in response to massive Russian drone strikes on eastern Ukraine, escalating fears of a wider war between Russia and NATO. The activation included ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance, with military aviation operating in Polish airspace as a preventive measure to secure areas near threatened regions. This followed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter briefly violating Polish airspace near Braniewo, prompting fighter jets to be scrambled. Poland's Operational Command stated the actions were preventive and monitored the situation, with forces ready for immediate response. Unconfirmed reports also emerged of an unidentified drone entering Romanian airspace near Moldova, though it disappeared from radar and airspace reopened normally.