NATO's eastern flank security is once again the focus of European countries after a series of incidents related to Russian attacks on Ukraine and drone activity near the Alliance's borders.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is calling a special meeting of the Council of National Security Ministers due to Russian strikes in Ukraine near the Polish border. The meeting is aimed at assessing the security situation and necessary measures against the backdrop of the ongoing war.
Russian attacks on Ukrainian targets in the western part of the country have once again put Poland in a situation where the consequences of the fighting are being felt right next to its border. Warsaw is closely monitoring the air situation and maintains a high level of readiness for possible entry of missiles or drones into Polish airspace.
Against this backdrop, information also emerged about an incident with a train traveling through Poland, which was carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and an advisor to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
According to media reports, the train was evacuated due to information about an attack with drones in the area. Passengers were removed from the train as a precaution while the situation is investigated.
The incident further highlights the heightened attention to the security of Poland's transport infrastructure, which is a key route for the movement of people and goods to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, another unusual case was recorded in Lithuania, where the military also responded to a potential air threat.
Lithuanian authorities declared an alert, scrambled fighter jets and temporarily suspended flights in a certain area. However, the reason was not a Russian attack or drone incursion, but a large flock of birds detected in the airspace.
After the situation was clarified, flight restrictions were lifted.
At first glance, the case in Lithuania seems curious, but it shows how sensitive the air situation in the Baltic states is. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, any potential air threat has been assessed immediately, and the military is on alert to respond to any possible violation of airspace.
The three cases - the Russian strikes near the Polish border, the train evacuation, and the alarm in Lithuania - show different aspects of the heightened vigilance on NATO's eastern flank. As the war in Ukraine continues, countries in the region are forced to respond not only to real threats but also to any signal that could potentially pose a risk.