Poland to restrict flights along the border with Ukraine and Belarus for three months
In the eastern part of Poland, a temporary restricted movement zone EP R134 will be in effect from September 10 to December 9, 2026, along the borders with Ukraine and Belarus. Restrictions are being introduced to ensure the security of Polish airspace amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine and to give the air defense system greater freedom of action.
This was reported by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces. The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency PAŻP published information on the establishment of the zone at the request of the military in the NOTAM system.
EP R134 will start on September 10 at 00:00 UTC and remain until 23:59 UTC on December 9. It will replace the currently active zone EP R131, which expires on September 9. Thus, this is not about fully removing previous restrictions and introducing a fundamentally new regime, but about continuing the special procedure for using airspace in eastern Poland.
Restrictions will apply up to an altitude of about 3 km
Zone EP R134 covers airspace from ground level up to flight level FL95, i.e., approximately up to an altitude of 3 km. The Polish military separately emphasized that restrictions do not apply to ordinary passenger aircraft, as they operate at significantly higher altitudes.
The zone will be active 24/7 throughout the three-month period, but rules for its use will differ during day and night.
From sunset to sunrise, a complete flight ban will be in effect in EP R134. An exception is provided for military aviation, as well as for takeoffs and landings at the Depułtycze-Królewskie airfield near Chełm, pre-coordinated with the Air Operations Center.
During the day, some flights remain permitted
During daylight hours, restrictions will be less stringent. Flights will be possible, in particular, for manned aircraft for which a flight plan has been submitted in advance. They must be equipped with a working transponder and maintain constant communication with the appropriate air traffic control unit.
Military aircraft and a number of special flights, including search and rescue, medical, government and other operations with special status, will also not be subject to the ban. For individual flights related to rescue of people and animals, disaster response, accidents and environmental threats, the possibility of additional coordination with the Polish military is provided.
A separate procedure is established for operations necessary for security and monitoring of critical infrastructure. They can also be performed after coordination with the duty service of the Air Operations Center.
The official conditions also provide for the possibility of using civilian drones subject to established requirements, including restrictions related to air defense identification zones near the Ukrainian and Belarusian borders.
Violation of EP R134 will be considered a breach of aviation legislation
The Polish command warned that entry into the active restricted zone by an aircraft that does not fall under the established exceptions will be considered a violation of Polish aviation legislation.
The restriction is documented in the NOTAM system under numbers D6372/26 and N6372/26. The legal basis is the regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of Poland, which allows establishing flight restrictions on national security grounds for a period of no more than three months.
For individual specially designated flight areas, requirements for continuous communication with pilots are also established. If emergency release of airspace is necessary, all aircraft present must be able to complete the operation and land no later than 25 minutes after the relevant order.
Poland extends the special regime at the eastern border
EP R134 will become the next zone in a series of restrictions that Poland has consistently maintained in the eastern part of the country. The current EP R131 is active from June 10 to September 9, 2026, also covers airspace from the ground to FL95 and itself replaced the previous EP R130.
Even earlier, since September 2025, zone EP R129 was in effect in this area. Thus, Warsaw has maintained a special regime for the use of low-altitude airspace along the eastern border for about a year, periodically replacing one temporary zone with another.
The Operational Command directly links the introduction of EP R134 to the need to protect Polish airspace "in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine." According to the military's explanation, the restrictions are intended to provide air defense system elements with the necessary freedom of action while affecting civilian air traffic as little as possible.
No significant changes are expected for passengers of regular flights: the zone is located well below the altitudes normally used by civilian airliners.
Sources: Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, Polish Air Navigation Services Agency, Defence24
