The Russian war in Ukraine is gradually penetrating everyday life in Poland. The Financial Times. In the Polish city of Lublin, popular among tourists for its medieval gates and pastel-colored facades, residents are getting used to warning alarms and the roar of fighter jets that rush in response to threats such as Russian drones or missiles. Since early September, local residents have received emergency SMS alerts about possible Russian air incursions, and the city's airport has suspended civilian flights six times this month to make way for the military protecting Polish airspace. The experience in Lublin shows how, five years after the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the war began to penetrate daily life in neighboring Poland. "Perhaps for too long we thought of this war as something that could only happen on the other side of our border. Now Russia is making a significant effort to make us panic as well, although I'm sure that in fact the Russians are only strengthening our resilience and making us even more aware that we really must help Ukraine," says Dariusz Krzysztopik, deputy director of the Ukraine Public Security Department at KM 100 in Ukraine. This year, Poland allocated nearly 5% of GDP to defense, making it the country with the highest percentage of military spending among NATO countries. Warsaw has ordered hundreds of planes, helicopters and tanks, but investment in civil defense, especially in shelters, has lagged. Earlier this year, the first fully sealed shelter was opened in Lublin, capable of holding about 200 people in the event of a chemical attack or radioactive contamination. The municipality plans to upgrade 101 additional shelters over three years to meet the same high standards of protection.

The Russian war in Ukraine is gradually penetrating everyday life in Poland. The Financial Times. In the Polish city of Lublin, popular among tourists for its medieval gates and pastel-colored facades, residents are getting used to warning alarms and the roar of fighter jets that rush in response to threats such as Russian drones or missiles. Since early September, local residents have received emergency SMS alerts about possible Russian air incursions, and the city's airport has suspended civilian flights six times this month to make way for the military protecting Polish airspace. The experience in Lublin shows how, five years after the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the war began to penetrate daily life in neighboring Poland. "Perhaps for too long we thought of this war as something that could only happen on the other side of our border. Now Russia is making a significant effort to make us panic as well, although I'm sure that in fact the Russians are only strengthening our resilience and making us even more aware that we really must help Ukraine," says Dariusz Krzysztopik, deputy director of the Ukraine Public Security Department at KM 100 in Ukraine. This year, Poland allocated nearly 5% of GDP to defense, making it the country with the highest percentage of military spending among NATO countries. Warsaw has ordered hundreds of planes, helicopters and tanks, but investment in civil defense, especially in shelters, has lagged. Earlier this year, the first fully sealed shelter was opened in Lublin, capable of holding about 200 people in the event of a chemical attack or radioactive contamination. The municipality plans to upgrade 101 additional shelters over three years to meet the same high standards of protection.