Polish and NATO fighter jets were launched into the sky over Poland at approximately 3:03 PM UTC on September 13th, 2025, in response to potential drone activity in western Ukraine and a threat of ballistic attack on southern Ukraine and Crimea, according to the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces. Lublin Airport, located in eastern Poland, was closed due to "unplanned military activity related to ensuring state security," as confirmed by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). Romania's air force reported picking up a couple of fighters on duty during this period, as stated by Artur Micek. Separately, a Ukrainian F-16 reportedly shot down a campaign identified as "Herber," with the location noted as "pure 🇺🇦," according to "Сила Громади". The Air Force of Ukraine had previously reported aerial activity, including a "Bil" (likely a drone or aircraft) in the Volyn region moving westward and another in the north of Poltava region, also moving west. Earlier in the reporting window, Lublin Airport had been closed to all aviation operations at approximately 2:32 PM UTC on September 13th. Polish media outlet TVN24 reported that the military aviation operations began in response to the threat of drone impacts in Ukrainian regions bordering Poland. Flights scheduled for Lublin were being rerouted to Warsaw Chopin Airport. The operational command of the Polish Armed Forces stated that Poland's ground air defense systems have reached their highest state of combat readiness in connection with the perceived threat.
