Russia attacked Ukraine with nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles overnight, targeting energy and civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday.
"If Russia turns even the Christmas and New Year period into a time of destroyed homes and burned apartments, of ruined power plants, then this sick activity can only be responded to with truly strong steps," Zelenskiy wrote on X, calling for the U.S. and Europe to pressure Moscow harder.
Rzeszów and Lublin airports in southeastern Poland have been temporarily closed after the Polish armed forces scrambled fighter jets due to Russian strikes on Ukraine, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency posted on X on Saturday.
The post added that the actions are preventive and aimed at securing and protecting airspaces, especially in areas adjacent to threatened zones.
The post assured that the Armed Forces' Operational Command is monitoring the situation and that resources are on standby for an immediate response.
Previous Polish airspace operations
This comes two days after Poland sent fighter jets to intercept a Russian aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea.
"This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified, and escorted from their area of responsibility a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace," the Polish army said on Thursday.
Countries on NATO's eastern flank have been on high alert for potential airspace incursions since September, when three Russian military jets violated Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes just days after more than 20 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace.