Poland Scrambles Fighter Jets: Air Raid Sirens Blare in the East, Crater from Unknown Object Found

Air raid sirens sounded in Lublin and other towns in eastern Poland shortly before dawn, while a crater was discovered in a field near the city — authorities are now investigating its origin. Local residents reported hearing the roar of a flying object just before the sirens went off.

Poland's military command said an unidentified object appeared on radar at 3:50 a.m. and vanished a few minutes later, with the alert called off by 3:59. The suspected crash site was located near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, close to Lublin, and its position was later confirmed by a military helicopter.

The activation of Poland's air defence system coincided with another large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine, including on the country's western regions bordering Poland. "Due to the activity of Russian aviation striking Ukrainian territory, an operation by the Polish Air Force has begun in our airspace," the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces announced on social media.

Poland, a NATO member since 1999, has repeatedly scrambled fighter jets during major Russian strikes near its borders since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Polish military last deployed combat aircraft in early July.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz