Poland was ready to shoot down the missile after it entered the country's territory during Russia's attack on Ukraine, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during a briefing with intelligence service chiefs, adding that "everything indicates that we are dealing with a Russian X-101 ballistic missile," UNN reports citing Onet Wiadomości.
Details
"We know what happened. During Russia's massive attacks on Ukraine, Poland's airspace was violated. We are experiencing a serious incident. Fortunately, there are no reports of losses or casualties," Tusk said.
"Initial information clearly indicates that the relevant services, primarily the military and our pilots, acted very quickly and effectively," he added.
The information is clear. We were ready to shoot down the missile if it continued its flight. Everything indicates that we are dealing with a Russian X-101 ballistic missile, but we are not anticipating the results of a detailed investigation. Of course, it is too early for a detailed report and all the circumstances of this incident
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces (DORSZ) reported that at 3:40 a.m. local time on Thursday, an unidentified object was detected in Polish airspace. An F-16 fighter jet was scrambled for reconnaissance and interception of the object. At 3:46 a.m. local time, the object disappeared, and its likely crash site was located near the town of Tarnawa-Kolonia in the Lublin Voivodeship.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Marcin Kierwiński traveled to the Lublin region, where a coordination group was convened, including representatives of the relevant services.
The Military Department of the District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin is conducting an investigation into the fall of an unidentified object at night in the Lublin Voivodeship.
The district prosecutor in Lublin was dispatched to the scene, who will personally coordinate the investigation.
Recall
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, stated that a Russian X-101 cruise missile, violating NATO airspace, crossed the border of Poland at night during Russia's massive strike on Ukraine. Ukraine informs all partners and international organizations about the consequences of this attack.