Poland issues air-raid alert for Lublin region after Russian strikes on Ukraine
Poland's government crisis centre warned residents of the Lublin region of a possible air threat late on Thursday as Russia struck western Ukraine, lifting the alert less than an hour later.
Poland's Government Centre for Security, known as the RCB, sent an air-threat alert to residents of the Lublin region shortly after 11pm on Thursday, as Russia carried out strikes on western Ukraine, Polish broadcaster RMF FM reported. The alert told residents: "Find a safe place. Follow the instructions of the services. Await further announcements."
The RCB initially said the alert also covered the neighbouring Podkarpackie region, but a later update referred only to Lublin, RMF FM reported. Air-raid sirens sounded in the region, including in the city of Zamość, RMF FM reporter Dominik Smaga said.
Poland's armed forces operational command said its military aircraft were active in Polish airspace in response to the Russian strikes on Ukraine, and that ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems had been brought to readiness, with all necessary forces at its disposal activated.
The alert was lifted shortly before midnight, less than an hour after it was issued, when the RCB said the air attack on Ukraine had ended and there was no threat to Poland. The operational command confirmed shortly afterwards that its military aircraft had stopped operating in Polish airspace and that ground air defence and radar systems had returned to standard activity, adding that no violation of Polish airspace had been observed.
What we know
- 1 outlet · RMF24 Poland's RCB issued an air-threat alert for the Lublin region shortly after 11pm on Thursday, as Russia struck western Ukraine.
- 1 outlet · RMF24 Polish military aircraft operated in Polish airspace as a precaution, and ground-based air defence and radar systems were brought to readiness.
- 1 outlet · RMF24 The alert was lifted less than an hour later, shortly before midnight, after the attack on Ukraine ended.
- Official · armed forces' operational command No violation of Polish airspace was observed, the armed forces' operational command said.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Poland borders Ukraine and has repeatedly raised alerts and scrambled jets during major Russian strikes near its border, reflecting NATO's concern about the war spilling over. Thursday's alert came during a wider wave of Russian strikes that also hit Kyiv, Kramatorsk and other Ukrainian cities.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- Why did Poland issue an air-raid alert?
- Poland's RCB warned residents of the Lublin region of a possible air threat as Russia carried out strikes on western Ukraine on Thursday night.
- Did the alert mean Polish airspace was violated?
- No. Poland's armed forces said no violation of Polish airspace was observed, though military aircraft operated as a precaution.
- How long did the alert last?
- Less than an hour. It was lifted shortly before midnight once the attack on Ukraine had ended.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.