In Poland, on the night of May 8, F-16 fighter jets were deployed to patrol and secure the country's airspace in response to Russia's ongoing shelling of Ukraine.
This information was reported by the Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Poland via the social media platform X.
The Operational Command stated, "Polish and allied aircraft alternate patrols over the airspace of Poland, which may result in increased noise levels, particularly in the southeastern part of the country. Tonight, there is observed intensive activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, which is conducting missile strikes on targets within Ukraine. All necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace have been initiated."
Following these precautionary measures, the Operational Command later informed that aviation operations within Poland's airspace had been temporarily halted and that forces and assets had returned to their standard operational activities.
The military response came after a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine during the same night, involving 55 missiles of various types and 21 attack drones.
Mykola Oleschuk, the commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported that 59 aerial targets were successfully intercepted and destroyed by Ukraine's anti-aircraft defenses.
Over recent months, there has been recurring activity involving military aircraft in Poland, including multiple launches of Polish and American F-16 fighters.
