NATO Confirms Contact with Poland After Russian Missile Crash
A Russian cruise missile that missed its target in Ukraine crashed in eastern Poland, prompting NATO and Polish forces to scramble aircraft and investigate the incident.
NATO said it is maintaining close communication with Polish authorities after a Russian missile entered Polish airspace and crashed in the Lublin region. The missile, identified by Ukrainian officials as a Kh-101 cruise missile, was part of a large Russian strike on western Ukraine that night.
Martin O'Donnell, a spokesperson for NATO’s European headquarters, said the alliance and Poland activated air and ground defenses, scrambling two Polish-operated F-16 fighter jets, an Airbus A330 refuelling aircraft, a Saab 340 airborne early-warning plane and a Mi-24 helicopter. The impact created a crater about 10 metres wide near the village of Tarnawa Kolonia, but no casualties were reported.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the event as a violation of Polish airspace during Russia’s missile attack on Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted that the missile had crossed into Poland and missed its intended target, urging allies to accelerate delivery of air-defence systems to Ukraine.
European Council President Antonio Costa condemned the airspace breach, stating that Russia’s actions threaten European security and calling for increased EU support for Ukraine’s air-defence capabilities.