Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that a missile which struck a field in eastern Poland early Thursday was "in all probability" a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile. The projectile, which was armed, created a 10-meter-wide crater near the village of Tarnawa Kolonia, located approximately 92 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The incident occurred during a widespread Russian offensive targeting multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Lviv, and areas near Kryvyi Rih. While no injuries were reported, Tusk emphasized the gravity of the airspace violation. He noted that Polish military forces were prepared to intercept the object had it continued its trajectory, and confirmed that radar systems tracked the missile after it was detected at 03:40 local time.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that approximately 20 objects were observed near Polish airspace during the overnight strikes. In response, NATO officials stated they are in close communication with Warsaw, affirming their commitment to defending alliance territory.
This event follows a series of similar incidents since the onset of the conflict in February 2022, though previous occurrences have involved drones or unarmed missiles. In November 2022, a separate incident resulted in the deaths of two Polish farmers, which was later attributed to a Ukrainian air defense missile. European Council head António Costa condemned the latest Russian strikes, describing them as a broader threat to regional security.
Source: BBC News
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