Poland and Latvia to restrict airspace along their eastern borders following Russian drone incursion

Poland has restricted nighttime civilian air traffic near the Ukrainian and Belarusian borders, the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces reported on Thursday, adding that the restrictions would be in effect from 10 September to 9 December.

Warsaw also plans to close its land border with Belarus indefinitely, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kerwiński told Polish radio station Tok FM.

Latvia is likewise set to close its airspace along its border with Belarus and Russia, Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds said on Thursday, adding that the restrictions would remain in place until at least 18 September.

Sprūds also said that the closure of the country’s entire eastern land border was also being discussed, though, if deemed necessary, Sprūds said the step would require the approval of Latvia’s Baltic neighbours, Estonia and Lithuania, before it could be implemented.

At the same time, the Saeima, Latvia’s parliament, has submitted a request to the National Security Commission requiring the closure of the country’s borders with Belarus and Russia for the duration of the Zapad-2025 military exercises, which are due to be conducted by its two neighbours from 12 to 16 September.

On Wednesday night, 19 Russian drones crossed into Poland, triggering “defensive procedures” after they were deemed a “credible threat” to the country. Following the “unprecedented violation”, Poland invoked Article 4 of the NATO convention, requesting a formal consultation with the alliance following a threat to the country’s “territorial integrity, political independence or security”.