Polish military expert doesn't rule out deliberate Russian missile diversion to Poland
A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile entered Polish airspace on 30 July during a massive attack on Ukraine; officials are investigating whether it was an accident or a deliberate act. Poland is considering sending Ukraine additional Patriot air-defence missiles.
On 30 July at 3:40 a.m., an unidentified flying object was detected in Polish airspace. An F-16 fighter was scrambled to investigate, but the object disappeared from radar. Later, the crash site of the object was found near Tarnawa-Kolonia village in the Lublin Voivodeship, about 100 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said on Thursday that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had entered Poland during a massive Russian attack on Ukraine. Polish officials subsequently confirmed that the missile was of this type. The Kh-101 is a long-range air-launched cruise missile widely used by Russia in strikes against Ukraine.
Polish authorities have yet to determine whether the missile entered Polish territory due to a technical malfunction or damage sustained during flight, or whether it was deliberately directed towards the country. Prime Minister Donald Tusk told journalists that there was no indication that Poland had been the missile's target. He also stressed that Polish forces were ready to shoot the missile down if it posed a direct threat to populated areas. In addition, Poland is considering delivering additional Patriot air-defence missiles to Ukraine.
Polish Navy Reserve Commander Maksymilian Dura explained that the missile could have changed course after being damaged, possibly as a result of Ukrainian air-defence activity. He also did not rule out that Russian forces had intentionally programmed the weapon to fly towards Poland.
During the night into Thursday, Ukraine came under a massive missile and drone attack. Ukrainian forces identified 74 missiles and several hundred drones; eight people were killed in the strikes.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been under way since 24 February 2022. The conflict originally began in 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and started hostilities in the Donbas.
