Poland sends 'significant forces' to Russian border amid fears of an armed incursion after 'disturbing movements'

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said today he has sent armed forces to the Russian border amid fears of an armed incursion. The move comes as his country foiled a potential 'provocation' overnight on its border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, he said, noting that he was informed just after midnight of suspicious activity on Poland's northern border.'We very quickly mobilized the necessary security forces and means on site, and we successfully prevented any attempted acts of provocation, if that was the intention. Of course, we will never be able to completely confirm that,' Tusk said.He added that the incident followed weeks of warnings from Polish and allied intelligence that 'acts of diversion or more serious provocation' could target the European Union and NATO member's border with Russia, including 'the intrusion of armed individuals into Polish territory'.Tusk warned that Poland could face a prolonged 'escalation from the Russian side', and called for heightened vigilance against sabotage operations or other threats.Poland, which sits on the eastern flank of the EU and NATO, has repeatedly accused Russia of 'sabotage' since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Warsaw plays a key logistical role in getting Western military and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.Tusk's announcement comes as a series of hoax bomb threats sparked flight chaos across Europe, with at least six passenger jets forced to make emergency landings at airports across the continent - including two in Poland. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (pictured) said today he has sent armed forces to the Russian borderIn September, Tusk warned that Russia's war plans included 'hybrid' attacks with drones and missiles against Ukraine's allies.Two of the grounded flights took off from the UK on Tuesday before making unscheduled landings due to the mid-air security scares.LOT Polish Airlines passenger flight departed London Heathrow Airport this morning and headed for Warsaw-Chopin Airport, but was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin following the alert, which was announced at 9.54am local time.The Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely at 10.01am, and security forces are verifying the reported threat, a spokesperson for Warsaw-Modlin Airport said in a statement.Some 118 passengers are understood to have been on the flight.The travel hub currently remains shut following the alert, with the airport adding: 'The safety of passengers, crew and airport employees is currently the highest priority.'A spokesperson for LOT Polish Airlines told the Daily Mail that it had been 'notified by airport authorities of a potential security threat on board a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operating flight LO286 from London to Warsaw.''The aircraft was diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport, where it landed and subsequently taxied to a designated parking stand. Relevant authorities are assessing the situation in accordance with established security procedures,' the airline added.Another bomb threat was reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Chopin Airport and was being checked, a Warsaw-Chopin Airport spokesperson said, adding that the airport was continuing operations.SAS, which ran the flight from Copenhagen, confirmed it had landed safely, and all passengers had disembarked.A runway at Chopin Airport is understood to be closed, according to reports.Warsaw has two airports - Chopin is within the city limits and Modlin, mostly used by budget airlines, is about 22 miles from the capital.Spanish officials also confirmed a Ryanair plane from Manchester to Murcia airport in southern Spain came under threat.The Ryanair flight had 121 people on board, including crew, according to Francisco Lucas, the Spanish government's delegate in the Murcia region.The plane was being investigated, and security protocol had started, he added.Bulgarian media reported around midday on Tuesday that a flight had been targeted with a bomb threat by email before it landed in Sofia. It is understood counterterrorism teams are checking the planes for explosives. This is a breaking news story, more to follow.