Balloons from Belarus force civil airspace closures over north-eastern Poland

Overnight on 28 January 2026 objects flying in from Belarus entered Polish airspace; the Border Guard identified them as smuggling balloons and the military restricted civilian flights over part of north-eastern Poland. A further incursion on 30–31 January halted civil aviation in Podlaskie, and similar balloon incursions followed on the nights of 8–9, 15–16 and 16–17 February. The Operational Command called the incidents part of 'a series of hybrid-type events' on Poland's eastern border.

Established by. Named: Belarus (origin only). Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces and Polish Border Guard (Jan–Feb 2026) say the objects came from Belarus and fit a pattern of hybrid activity; Defence Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz (9 Feb 2026) said they served smuggling and provocation. Warsaw has not formally attributed their launch to the Belarusian state; the EU and Lithuania attribute the parallel balloon campaign against Lithuania to the Lukashenko regime (see Lithuania entry).

Latest. Incursions continued into mid-February 2026; Polish authorities reported no threat to the public.

Link to the war against Ukraine. Part of the hybrid pressure on frontline states along Belarus, Russia's co-belligerent ally in the war against Ukraine.