Russia launched a huge drone attack on Kyiv on Sunday morning, injuring at least six people in what officials described as one of the biggest strikes on the Ukrainian capital since the war began.
The assault began around 6am local time, with drones swarming over the city and anti-aircraft fire echoing through the night. Residents fled to metro stations deep underground for safety as air raid sirens rang out across many regions of Ukraine.
Poland responded by closing airspace near its southeastern cities of Lublin and Rzeszow, scrambling fighter jets to guard against what it called “unplanned military activity related to ensuring state security.”
“In connection with the activity of the Russian Federation's long-range aviation carrying out strikes on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aircraft have begun operating in our airspace,” Poland’s military said in a post on X, describing the measures as “preventive” and aimed at protecting citizens.
The escalation came as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, amid growing allegations that Moscow has violated the airspace of several neighbouring countries in recent weeks.
Lavrov, who has served as foreign minister for 21 years, insisted Russia had no plans to attack NATO or EU member states but warned of retaliation if threatened.
“Threats of force against Russia, accused of practically planning an attack on the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union, are becoming increasingly common,” he said. “President Putin has repeatedly debunked such provocations. Russia has never had and does not have such intentions, but any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response.”
Speaking later at a news conference, Lavrov maintained Moscow had “nothing to hide” and was pressed on how Russia would respond if a drone or plane was shot down.
He said: “Try to understand that a drone, when it is flying not over our territory, but if it crosses someone's border but has left our airspace, probably everyone has the right to do with that drone whatever they consider necessary to ensure their security.
“But if there are attempts to shoot down any flying object, or indeed any object at all, on our territory, in our airspace, then I think people will seriously regret it, undertaking such a gross violation of our territorial integrity, our sovereignty.”
NATO recently carried out an air defence mission over Poland in response to what it called “unprecedented” Russian drone incursions.
