FLASH
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Poland has banned drone flights and introduced restrictions affecting mainly small, non-commercial air traffic along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine, following this week's drone incursions into its airspace. The restrictions, which do not affect passenger traffic, came into effect at 10 p.m. on Wednesday and will remain in place until Dec. 9, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) said in a statement.
General aviation, mainly small and recreational aircraft and helicopters, can operate during the day provided they have a radio and transponder, but cannot fly at night, PANSA said.
Flights will only be allowed up to an altitude of about 3 km (1.86 miles) above ground level, she said. Commercial flights typically fly at altitudes above 3 km above the ground.
Poland shot down what it said were Russian drones in its airspace on Wednesday, with support from its NATO allies, as Russian forces attacked neighboring Ukraine. The drone incursion has raised fresh security concerns.
"At the request of the Operational Command of the Armed Forces Branches ... air traffic restrictions will be introduced in the eastern part of Poland in the form of the restricted area EP R129 ". These restrictions do not apply to passenger aviation, as the restriction level is FL095, which is the area from the ground to approximately 3 km above it. The area extends from 26 to 46 km inland, depending on the location ," PANSA said.
PANSA said that under the restriction, flights in the restricted area were permitted from sunrise to sunset only by manned aircraft operating in accordance with a flight plan with appropriate transponders and maintaining two-way communication with air authorities.
The strict rules also allow for military flights and some additional flights and call signs with special purposes, she said.
A senior Russian diplomat in Poland said the drones had come from the direction of Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry said its drones had carried out an attack in western Ukraine but had not planned to hit any targets in Poland.
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