Amid Russian strikes on western regions of Ukraine overnight Saturday, February 7, Polish authorities halted operations for several hours at the civilian airports Rzeszów-Jasionka and Lublin and scrambled military aircraft.
The measures were preventive and aimed at safeguarding and protecting the airspace, “especially in areas adjacent to threatened territories,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.
Poland’s ground-based air defense and radar surveillance systems were placed on alert.
Both airports resumed operations on the morning of February 7. No violations of Polish airspace were recorded, the military said. The Polish army is monitoring the situation in Ukraine and remains on constant readiness to secure Poland’s airspace, the Operational Command stressed.
Poland thanked the German Air Force, whose aircraft helped maintain safety in Polish skies, and the Netherlands’ Armed Forces for supporting air defense systems.
Russia carried out a new mass strike overnight on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, mainly in the west of the country. The Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv regions were among those targeted. According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia used attack drones and air-, ground- and sea-launched missiles.
Substations and 750 kV and 330 kV transmission lines were hit, as well as the Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants, First Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said. He added that the national grid operator Ukrenergo activated a request for emergency assistance from Poland.
