In brief
- A Russian cruise missile entered Polish airspace during a large-scale attack on Ukraine.
- Polish fighter jets were quickly deployed to secure the border and track the object.
- Authorities are currently investigating a large crater found in the Lublin province.
According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile violated the airspace of Poland, a NATO ally, during a large-scale offensive against Ukraine. These attacks have killed at least 13 people, with victims in cities ranging from the capital Kyiv to Lviv in the west.
Rapid military response
In response to the breach, Poland deployed fighter jets to protect its borders. Military officials noted that an unknown object was tracked on radar moving westward at around 3:40 a.m. local time before disappearing.
To investigate the radar data, a Mi-24 helicopter was sent, which eventually found a suspected impact site in a rural area in the Lublin province, specifically near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia.
Investigation of the impact site
Authorities in the Lublin region reported a loud explosion between the villages of Biskupice and Tarnawa Kolonia. When police arrived at the scene, they found a crater about 10 meters wide and various fragments in a field approximately two kilometers from the nearest houses.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens briefly warned residents of Lublin of the potential threat of Russian attacks.
Official position and diplomatic silence
While the Ukrainian government has specifically identified the object as a cruise missile, Polish officials remain more cautious, saying they are still investigating the nature of the downed object. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that an investigation is underway.
Additionally, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has assembled a special coordination team and traveled to the site of the incident. The Russian embassy in Warsaw has not commented on the event.
