Poland launches preemptive operations to guard its airspace as Russian strikes continue
The move comes as Russia keeps striking targets near Ukraine's ports and Trump prepares new sanctions on Moscow.
Published
Poland's armed forces have begun preemptive operations to protect the country's airspace, citing ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine.
The strikes have continued in recent days. Russian forces hit a dry cargo ship in Odesa, according to Russia's Defence Ministry. On Friday, Russia struck four ships near Ukrainian ports, hours after reporting its wheat crop total, and that attack followed a still-pending Turkish proposal to halt strikes on shipping in the Black Sea. Separately, the IAEA said a drone strike damaged a cooling tower at the Kursk nuclear plant.
The tension extends beyond Ukraine's borders. Macron said Russia has carried out hybrid attacks on France in recent weeks. In Washington, Trump was expected to sign a Russia sanctions bill on Friday. A White House official said the bill gives him discretion to impose tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.
Poland's shift to preemptive operations sharpens already elevated regional tensions just as Trump prepares the new sanctions and advances U.S. military positioning in Poland. The move signals that NATO members see Russian strike patterns as an expanding threat, raising the risk of direct contact between Poland and Russia and complicating any near-term diplomatic off-ramp Trump might pursue.