Poland to Close Airspace Along Border to Safeguard Sky From Russian Threats

Poland will restrict air traffic over the eastern region of the country in a temporary zone designated as EP R134 from September 10 to December 9.

The restriction extends from ground level up to level FL95, which corresponds to an altitude of around 3,000 meters. The Armed Forces Operational Command of Poland made this request to the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency, pointing to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as the reason for the decision.

Polish military officials stated that the measures aim to help air defense systems operate more effectively across eastern Poland.

"The measures being introduced are intended to ensure that all elements of the air defense system of the Republic of Poland have the necessary freedom of action and the ability to respond effectively to potential threats, while minimizing the impact of these measures on civil aviation and other airspace users," the statement said.

High-altitude commercial passenger flights will not be affected by the restrictions. The strictest rules will take effect at night, from sunset to sunrise, when a complete ban on flights will be enforced within the EP R134 zone.

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During these nighttime hours, the airspace inside the zone will receive an "unclassified" status. The only exceptions to the night ban will be military drones, as well as takeoffs and landings at the Depułtycze Królewskie airport (EPCD) in the Chełm district, provided those operations receive prior approval.

Previously, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that the option of intercepting Russian missiles while they were still in Ukrainian airspace required thorough discussion and had to avoid becoming a subject of domestic political disputes.

Speaking to the PAP news agency, Sikorski emphasized that the issue of intercepting those airborne threats was fundamentally a matter of national security rather than political maneuvering. He pointed out that Kyiv had faced continuous strikes by ballistic missiles during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which had left the city without sufficient protection against such attacks.

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