NATO’s first Norwegian jet aircraft deployed to Poland
In a statement, NATO Air Force confirmed the deployment of two Norwegian F-35 fighter jets. “This is the first time that Norwegian fighter jets have scrambled within the active air defense range of Polish airspace, demonstrating the Allied commitment to NATO’s eastern flank,” the command said. The jets were dispatched after significant Russian air activity was detected in the region, underscoring the growing risk that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into NATO territory.
The Norwegian F-35s, stationed in Poland, were launched as part of NATO’s broader strategy to maintain airspace security in Eastern Europe. The move comes as NATO countries, including Poland, face a growing threat near Ukraine’s borders from escalating Russian aggression.
Poland responds to regional escalation
Polish authorities also stepped up their military response, deploying additional fighter jets and putting ground-based air defense systems and radars on high alert. “In the early hours of Wednesday, intense long-range air activity from Russia was detected,” a spokesperson for Poland’s military operations command said.
Poland has repeatedly faced incidents of Russian drones and missiles intruding into its airspace during attacks on Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk had previously recommended restraint in dealing with such violations. However, a survey published in September by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita found that most Poles support shooting down Russian drones that enter Polish airspace.
Russian attack targets Ukrainian infrastructure
On January 15, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine using a combination of drones and ballistic missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Moscow used 74 drones and multiple cruise and ballistic missiles in a coordinated attack targeting energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian military intercepted 30 missiles and 47 drones and reported damage to key energy facilities, particularly in the Kharkov, Lviv and Ivanofrankivsk regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the attack as a “massive attack” on the country’s energy infrastructure. The Kremlin acknowledged overnight that it had targeted facilities in Ukraine, underscoring its continued focus on undermining the country’s energy supplies during the winter season.
NATO’s role in Eastern Europe
There are growing concerns that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into neighboring NATO countries such as Poland and Romania. Although NATO countries do not classify airspace violations as direct attacks, the alliance remains vigilant. Under NATO’s collective defense principle, an attack on one member state is treated as an attack on all members, prompting a military response if it is perceived as a threat.
Poland has scrambled fighter jets multiple times in recent weeks, including on Christmas Day, to counter Russian activity near its border. In October, NATO fighter jets from Spain and Romania responded to reports of an unidentified object entering Romanian airspace, reflecting the alliance’s cooperative approach to regional threats.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stressed the importance of self-defense, saying that despite NATO’s preference for a cautious approach, “Poland and Ukraine’s neighbors have a responsibility to protect their airspace.”
