A military drone crashed in Poland – Warsaw said it was a Russian model. Poland's defense minister accused the Kremlin of trying to provoke NATO countries.
A military drone crashed in eastern Poland. According to the Polish Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defense, it originated in Russia. The drone crashed into a cornfield in the town of Osiny, about 100 kilometers southeast of Warsaw, and exploded, according to police. There were no casualties, but windows in nearby buildings were damaged.
According to the public prosecutor's office, an object was found in the field that was"in all likelihood" a military drone. Its origin was initially unclear."The debris of the drone found indicates the use of explosives," said the prosecutor in charge at the crash site. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson later confirmed that, according to current findings, it was a Russian Shahed drone.
Police officers called by residents found burnt plastic and metal debris at the impact site. The Onet portal published images from social media showing a charred engine and propeller. The drone left a crater approximately six meters in diameter and 50 centimeters deep, the prosecutor said. It is unclear whether the explosion occurred in the air or on the ground.
Poland's Defense Minister sees provocation by Russia
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Russia was once again trying to provoke NATO countries with the action. Polish media, citing sources in the Defense Ministry, reported that the aircraft was a Russian drone, which is regularly used as a diversionary force during Russia's airstrikes against Ukraine.
Osiny is located in the Lublin Voivodeship, which borders Ukraine, about 120 kilometers away, and Belarus, about 100 kilometers away, to the east.
In November 2022, two people were killed when a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile crashed over the Polish village of Przewodow, near the Ukrainian border. The incident occurred while Russia was bombing several cities across Ukraine. Just over a year later, a Russian missile temporarily entered the airspace of NATO-EU member Poland.
