On the night of July 30, a serious violation of Polish airspace occurred. According to official data, a Russian cruise missile entered the country's airspace, prompting Polish authorities to raise combat readiness and launch large-scale search operations.
Incident Timeline
Events unfolded in the early morning hours. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces detected an approaching aerial object near the border at 3:29. It approached to a distance of about 5 kilometers, after which it changed course and headed east. However, just a few minutes later, at 3:40, another unidentified object was spotted in the sky over Poland, moving westward.
To identify the target and prevent a potential threat, a standby F-16 fighter jet was immediately dispatched to the area. The situation remained tense until 3:46, when the object disappeared from radar screens before the pilots could identify it.
Search and Consequences
To verify technical system readings and confirm the target's disappearance, a Mi-24 helicopter was sent to the area of the last recorded signal. The aircraft crew identified the probable crash site — an undeveloped area near the settlement of Tarnawa-Kolonia in the Lublin Voivodeship.
Ground search and rescue teams and specialized services were dispatched to the scene. Local residents in the Lublin Voivodeship reported hearing loud explosions during the night. Subsequently, a large crater was discovered in a field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, which, according to preliminary assessments, was formed after the fall of an unidentified object. Search and operational activities are currently ongoing at the site.
Official Reaction
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the country's armed forces were ready to use force. "We were ready to shoot down the missile if it had continued its flight. Everything indicates that it was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile," the head of government stated.
In connection with the incident, a coordination group was urgently convened in Poland to assess the situation. Acting Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga also confirmed information about the overflight of a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile over Polish territory during the night.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of a Russian attack on western regions of Ukraine, prompting an air raid alert in eastern Poland. Earlier, reports emerged that one or two missiles may have briefly entered the republic's airspace.
