NATO Jets Stand Down Over Poland After Massive Russian Airstrike on Ukraine

NATO fighter jets and support aircraft that had been patrolling the skies over Poland have returned to their bases, the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command announced Sunday morning. The heightened state of alert was initiated in response to a large-scale Russian missile and drone barrage against targets in western Ukraine overnight, a now-standard procedure to safeguard the alliance’s eastern flank.
In the early hours of Sunday, as Russia launched another massive air assault, NATO’s integrated air defense network went on high alert. The Polish military confirmed that its own aircraft, along with allied planes, were scrambled to ensure the security of Polish airspace. According to open-source flight tracking data and allied statements, the defensive screen, operating under the name “Operation Eastern Sentry,” included advanced Dutch F-35 stealth fighters and a multinational A330 MRTT refueling tanker, which allows fighter jets to remain on patrol for extended periods.
This aerial “show of force” is complemented by ground-based air defense systems, including German-operated Patriot missile batteries that were deployed to Poland to bolster its defenses.
The Operational Command stated that the patrols were a direct response to “intense long-range aviation activity of the Russian Federation, related to missile strikes on targets located in the territory of Ukraine.” They confirmed that once the Russian aerial assault concluded and the threat level in the border region decreased, the operation was stood down. “The Polish Army is monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis and remains ready to ensure the security of Polish airspace,” the command added.
This reactive scrambling of jets has become a routine but tense feature of the war for NATO’s frontline states. The primary concern is the potential for Russian missiles to malfunction or be diverted by Ukrainian air defenses and accidentally cross into NATO airspace. That fear is rooted in tragic experience; in November 2022, a stray Ukrainian air defense missile fell in the Polish village of Przewodów, killing two civilians. Since then, Poland and its allies have adopted a zero-tolerance policy, launching robust patrols whenever large-scale attacks occur nearby.
While the immediate threat has subsided, the cycle of escalation and response highlights the precarious security situation in Eastern Europe. Each Russian barrage against Ukraine forces NATO to demonstrate its readiness and resolve, turning the skies over Poland into a temporary stage for a silent, high-stakes standoff. For now, the airspace is calm, but Polish and NATO commanders remain vigilant, fully aware that the quiet is dependent on Russia’s next move.