This appeared earlier today…
Poland closes part of its airspace to ensure ‘state security’
Updated Sep 28, 2025 – 1.30pm, first published at 7.41am
1.19PM
Poland closes part of its airspace
David Mills
Poland has closed part of its airspace due to “unplanned military activity related to ensuring state security”, according to a post on the FlightRadar24 website.
The closed airspace is near the cities of Lublin and Rzeszow, in the country’s south-east, near the border with Ukraine. The closure is in effect until 4am UTC (2pm AEST).
Earlier this month, Poland shot down 20 Russian drones it said had violated its airspace. Last week, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned any “flying objects” violating Polish territory would be shot down, and there was “no room for debate”.
Russian drones and aircraft have also recently been spotted in Romanian and Estonian airspace.
With Reuters
Here is the link:
https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/need-to-know-afr-sunday-september-28-20250928-p5myeq
Here is more:
‘Would be war’: Russian ambassador’s threat as NATO clashes over whether to down Russian jets
A Russian ambassador has warned that shooting down Moscow's aircraft would trigger war as NATO grapples with how to respond to airspace violations.
September 27, 2025 - 4:21AM
Russia is prepared to go to war if NATO acts on threats to shoot down Moscow’s fighter jets, an ambassador has said.
An escalating pattern of Russian incursions across Europe’s eastern borders has led to calls within NATO for stronger action, including from US President Donald Trump who said “yes, I do” when asked if he believed countries should shoot down Russian planes breaching their territory.
After high-profile Russian violations over Poland and Estonia, NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte this week said the alliance wouldn’t rule out shooting down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace.
Mr Rutte said the Western military alliance stands ready to take decisive action when faced with threats to member nations.
“You can be assured we will do what is necessary to defend our cities, our people, our infrastructure,” the alliance chief said. “It doesn’t mean that we will always immediately shoot down a plane.”
In response, Alexey Meshkov, the Russian ambassador to France, has said that shooting down Russian aircraft “would be war”.
“You know, there are many NATO planes that violate Russian airspace, deliberately or not, but it happens quite often. They are not shot down afterwards”.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the alliance will ‘do what is necessary’ to defend member nations but won’t always ’immediately shoot down a plane’. Picture: John Thys / AFP
More planes fly close to NATO airspace
Five Russian fighter jets were caught flying perilously close to NATO airspace on Friday, reports The Sun.
The NATO Allied Air Command said it intercepted three MiG-31s, one Su-30 and one Su-35 fighter jets flying in a formation off the coast of Latvia.
Two Hungarian Gripen fighter jets were scrambled to lead an escort mission as part of NATO Baltic Air Policing mission.
After visual identification and escort, the Russian formation turned away, and the Gripens returned to base, it was reported.
Eastern nations want a more forceful response
NATO members appear increasingly divided over how forcefully to respond to Russian incursions. Some eastern European nations have called for a tougher stance while others warn against escalation that could drag the alliance into direct conflict with Moscow.
However, behind the public disagreements, NATO officials insist the alliance’s position remains clear and consistent.
“It’s a bit of an artificial debate. No changes are foreseen to these rules,” one NATO diplomat told the AFP on condition of anonymity.
The most vocal calls for action have come from NATO’s eastern flank countries, who feel most directly threatened by Russian aggression.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Warsaw would “react toughly” to any violations, while his top diplomat Radoslaw Sikorski told Moscow not to “whine” if its jets are taken out.
Lithuania’s defence minister Dovile Sakaliene pointed to precedent, saying NATO-member Turkey “set an example 10 years ago” when it shot down a Russian jet that entered its airspace from Syria. That incident caused a major diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Moscow, before Turkey apologised and the two sides patched up the dispute.
Calls for restraint
However, not all NATO members are convinced that aggressive responses are the right approach.
German defence minister Boris Pistorius cautioned allies not to fall into the “escalation trap” as fears rise that the war in Ukraine could spill over.
“Slapdash demands to shoot something out of the sky or do some great show of strength help less than anything else right now,” he said.
NATO fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft that violated Polish and Estonian airspace in recent incidents, with some drones shot down over Poland. Picture: Thibaud Moritz / AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron struck a more ambiguous note, saying NATO should take its response “up a notch” while insisting that “we aren’t going to open fire” in the face of Russian tests.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also appeared to contradict his boss, saying there wasn’t any talk of “shooting down Russian jets unless they’re attacking”.
“I think what you have seen is NATO responding to those intrusions the way we respond to them all the time,” he said.
NATO’s rules of engagement
Despite the public debate, NATO’s stance on rules of engagement remains straightforward: if the alliance believes an aircraft poses a threat, it is ready to shoot.
Recent incidents over Poland, Estonia and possibly Denmark in recent days suggest nuanced approach is already being taken.
When some 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland, NATO scrambled jets and shot down those seen as posing a menace – marking the first time NATO had taken out Russian aircraft since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Recent Russian airspace violations have occurred over Poland and Estonia, highlighting tensions along NATO’s eastern flank as the alliance grapples with how to respond. Picture: Wojtek Radwanski / AFP
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says Warsaw will ’react toughly’ to airspace violations, with his foreign minister telling Moscow not to ’whine’ if jets are taken out. Picture: AFP
Days later, when three armed Russian fighters violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for some 12 minutes, NATO jets only “escorted the aircraft without escalation”, Rutte said.
“No immediate threat was assessed,” he explained.
The situation is complicated by the fact that individual member states can have different rules of engagement when confronting Russian aircraft. NATO officials say Poland or other countries could act unilaterally if they choose, but given their reliance on allies for much of their air defences, they may lack the means.
Estonia, for example, doesn’t have its own fighter jets.
NATO members have appeared divided over how forcefully to respond to provocations from Putin’s forces, but officials insist the alliance’s rules of engagement remain clear. Picture: Ramil Sitdikov/Pool Photo via AP
Boosting Eastern defences
Rather than overhauling its approach to incursions, NATO is focused on bolstering its eastern defences.
After the drone incidents in Poland, the alliance announced a new mission called Eastern Sentry, with several countries rushing jets to the region.
However, NATO diplomats acknowledge the alliance still lacks sufficient capabilities, particularly the sort of low-cost weaponry that Ukraine uses to shoot down Russian drones.
The European Union has meanwhile announced plans to create a “drone wall” to help better track potential incursions, though few details have been released so far.
-With AFP and The Sun
Here is the link:
All I can say is that this needs to be calmed down and fairly soon! A shooting war we do not need!
David.
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