Poland has taken steps to protect its airspace after a series of balloons were spotted flying into its territory from neighboring Belarus, a close ally of Russia.
The objects entered Polish airspace overnight on Friday, marking the third incident in two days, according to Warsaw. The previous incidents led to the closure of airspace in the northeast of the country.
The Polish armed forces said they had detected the objects using military radar systems and assessed them as having "high probability" of being balloons, moving in accordance with current weather conditions.
Civil aviation restrictions were introduced over the Podlaskie province in the northeast, but no threats to safety were recorded. The statement did not mention any aircraft being deployed, unlike during previous Russian drone strikes on Ukraine that have posed a risk to Polish airspace.
The incident is the latest in a series of hybrid incidents in eastern Poland, where the armed forces remain ready to respond. This includes smuggling balloons filled with contraband and an increase in such activities near the Belarusian border.
NATO announced last month that it would beef up its air presence along its eastern edge after around 20 Russian drones crossed over into Poland on September 10. Moscow denied targeting the country, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as "the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II".
The incident has raised concerns about hybrid activities that NATO members say are a ploy by Belarus and Russia to test the alliance's resolve. The security of Poland's airspace remains unaffected, but the latest incident will add to existing worries about such activities.
The objects entered Polish airspace overnight on Friday, marking the third incident in two days, according to Warsaw. The previous incidents led to the closure of airspace in the northeast of the country.
The Polish armed forces said they had detected the objects using military radar systems and assessed them as having "high probability" of being balloons, moving in accordance with current weather conditions.
Civil aviation restrictions were introduced over the Podlaskie province in the northeast, but no threats to safety were recorded. The statement did not mention any aircraft being deployed, unlike during previous Russian drone strikes on Ukraine that have posed a risk to Polish airspace.
The incident is the latest in a series of hybrid incidents in eastern Poland, where the armed forces remain ready to respond. This includes smuggling balloons filled with contraband and an increase in such activities near the Belarusian border.
NATO announced last month that it would beef up its air presence along its eastern edge after around 20 Russian drones crossed over into Poland on September 10. Moscow denied targeting the country, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as "the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II".
The incident has raised concerns about hybrid activities that NATO members say are a ploy by Belarus and Russia to test the alliance's resolve. The security of Poland's airspace remains unaffected, but the latest incident will add to existing worries about such activities.
... I mean, one thing at a time, right? It's just balloons, but the fact that they're being spotted entering Polish airspace from Belarus is not exactly reassuring 
. NATO's beefing up its air presence is a good move, but we should be keeping an eye on this as well... what if it's more than just balloons? 
The lack of mention of any aircraft being deployed during the previous incidents is interesting, though... maybe Poland's got a better system in place than I thought 
. Still, these hybrid incidents are getting old – when will we see some real action? 
just heard about those balloons flying into Poland from Belarus! Like, what is going on over there? 
I'm all for international relations and cooperation, but this stuff is getting out of hand. Those NATO troops deploying near the border are a must though - can't let anyone mess with Polish airspace 
. And 20 Russian drones just crossing over into Poland in September? That's some crazy stuff right there! 
. At least Poland is on high alert - hope those balloons don't bring anything else along... 
. First it's balloons then who knows what else? We gotta be ready for anything at this point 
. Why can't they talk things out like civilized nations? 
!
anyway, it's not like any real harm came from these balloons or whatever... but at the same time, it's kinda concerning that they're being used to test NATO's resolve or whatever. shouldn't be a problem, but i guess some people are all about drama 
and now poland is having to deal with this mess. hopefully they can figure out what's going on and get things sorted out soon 
? seriously tho poland is like "hey can we just chill?" and belarus is all "nope balloons galore" 
still, gotta keep an eye on it, especially with russia and belarus involved. they're already playing with fire in ukraine, who knows what they'll do next? 
? Nah, probably just some bad guys trying to cause trouble 
? so poland is dealin with balloons flyin into its airspace from belarus? that sounds like a major security risk 
. I mean, we all know Russia and Belarus are close allies, so this is definitely a nerve-wracking situation for Poland and NATO as a whole.
. And with the increased presence of hybrid activities near the border, it's hard not to wonder if this is some kind of espionage game going on.
. The security of Poland's airspace is a big deal, and I hope NATO can figure out a way to protect its members without escalating things too much 
just had this thought... what's up with all these balloons flying into polish airspace from belarus? 
and i'm not sure why nato's beefing up its air presence, but it's always better to be safe than sorry, right? 
anyway, hope the polish folks are being careful and not letting their guard down, 'cause you can't rule out some kinda malicious intent behind these balloons... 
We gotta stay on high alert tho, NATO's got our backs and Poland's armed forces r doin their thang 
. Let's hope these incidents dont escalate 2 somethin more serious 
But then again, maybe we should be more vigilant... we can't afford to be complacent here. 
. They say they're beefin' up air presence but I bet they ain't doin' squat 
nato s just hyped 4 no reason 20 russian drones crossed ov into poland n didnt get shot dwn 
. NATO's got a point about testing the alliance's resolve, but at the same time, you gotta wonder if it's just a bunch of harmless balloons getting blown off course 
It's not like they're trying to launch a full-on attack on Poland or something. But at the same time, can't we be more careful with our airspace? I guess it's good that no threats were recorded and all, but still... I heard those balloons are just a sign of some bigger issue 
... or maybe they're just innocent little orbs 