Polish SIM cards found in Russian drones downed in Poland

Polish military prosecutors found Polish SIM cards in some of the Russian drones downed during a Russian mass drone incursion into the country on the night of Sept. 9 to Sept. 10, 2025, RMF24 reported on Oct. 8.

Polish authorities didn't disclose whether three Polish SIM cards had been stolen or obtained illegaly, according to RMF24. The investigation was discontinued after it did not lead to the identification of the specific people responsible for the Russian incursion.

"The investigation was discontinued because the perpetrator of the crime of violating Polish airspace and thus posing a threat to public safety was not identified," Marcin Kozak, spokesman of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin, said.

On Sept. 9, 2025, more than 30 Gerbera-type drones breached Polish airspace, some of which were shot down by the Polish military, RMF24 reported.

In attacks on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, Russia likely used Belarusian Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks, as well as a network of repeater stations on Belarusian territory, to help provide stable signals to Russian Shahed-type drones used in mass attacks on Ukraine, two Ukrainian officials said on Sept. 14, 2026.

The revelation came two days after Russia sent hundreds of drones, hugging Ukraine's northern border, in a rare a mass attack targeting regions in western Ukraine on Sept. 12.
Speaking on a Radio NV livestream, Presidential Advisor Serhii "Flash" Beskretnov said the flight path of the drones used in the attack suggested the use of Belarusian mobile networks for the cross-border attacks.

Lacking access to technology like SpaceX's Starlink, Russia consistently uses a mix of innovative radio technology to maintain connection with Shahed-type drones during mass attacks on Ukraine.

On Sept. 13, 2026, Tusk warned that Russian escalation could intensify in the upcoming months, following Russian strikes on a Polish-Ukrainian border crossing and a passenger train.
"The escalation of actions of the Russian Federation is becoming a fact and its examples are getting closer and closer to our borders," Tusk said in a briefing with defense officials. "What can be expected is that the next weeks and months will be a period of very intensive actions from the Russian side. Unfortunately, we cannot rule out that this escalation will also concern our territory."

Poland will change procedures for military aircraft and helicopters that engage objects entering from the direction of Russia, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said on Sept. 28, 2026.
Under the current peacetime procedure, Polish pilots must fly close enough to visually confirm a target in Polish airspace before firing at it.

The new procedures will replace this visual identification with so-called positive identification, meaning the radar reading alone will be enough for the pilot or the operational commander to authorize shooting down the object, Polish broadcaster RMF24 reported.

This procedure would allow Polish forces to shoot down missiles or drones entering Polish airspace from the direction of Russia faster than previously.