Poland closes two airports after Russian missile strikes

Tuesday 17 February 2026 - 07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Poland closes two airports after Russian missile strikes

Poland temporarily shut down the airports in Rzeszów and Lublin on February 17, 2026, as military aircraft were deployed in response to a large-scale Russian missile attack on neighboring Ukraine. The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency announced that flight operations at both southeastern airports were suspended to allow military aviation to operate without restrictions.

The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it had activated all available forces and resources following intensified activity by Russian long-range aviation. Ukrainian officials reported that Russian forces launched a significant wave of cruise missiles targeting several Ukrainian cities early that morning, prompting nationwide air raid alerts.

In response, Poland scrambled fighter jets and placed its air defense systems on maximum alert as missiles headed toward western Ukraine, bringing the threat closer to NATO’s eastern flank. Ground-based air defense units and radar reconnaissance systems were put on operational standby, while Polish and allied aircraft began patrolling Polish airspace.

“These actions are preventive and aim to ensure the security of areas adjacent to the threat zone,” the Polish military said in a statement. The decision to deploy fighter jets was taken in line with established procedures for handling emergencies near NATO borders.

Polish authorities emphasized that the measures were strictly precautionary and intended to safeguard sovereign airspace during a period of intense missile launches from Russia. Warsaw confirmed that no violation of its airspace had been officially recorded during the incident.

Rzeszów and Lublin are located near the Polish-Ukrainian border, with Rzeszów serving as a key NATO logistics hub for weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, both airports have become critical transit points for military and humanitarian assistance heading into Ukraine.

The latest closures follow a similar episode on February 7, 2026, when flight operations at the same airports were halted during another wave of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. On that occasion, the airports reopened after roughly two hours, with support from Polish and German air force aircraft securing Polish airspace.

The repeated suspensions highlight the spillover effects of the war on Poland, where authorities continue to balance civilian aviation needs with the imperative of maintaining airspace security along NATO’s eastern border.