On the day of September 15, 2026, an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle approached the US missile defense base in Redzikowo, located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland. According to media reports, the servicemen on duty at the facility made no attempt to shoot down or otherwise neutralize the UAV: their first reaction was to call the unified emergency number 112. The incident sparked widespread resonance against the backdrop of ongoing regional tensions and recent air alert incidents in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe.
The incident in Redzikowo
The Polish Ministry of Defense confirmed information about the drone flying near the US military facility. At the same time, the department emphasized that, in its assessment, it was a purely civilian unmanned vehicle that posed no threat and had been under observation the entire time. According to the military, the device did not fly directly over the base's territory, but it violated the zone where the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles is prohibited — approximately one kilometer from the facility.
Military reaction and the Ministry of Defense's position
As the military report, the personnel on duty at the base did not attempt to destroy the UAV, but limited themselves to calling the emergency services on number 112. The Polish Ministry of Defense, according to available data, has already established the location from which the device was being controlled. This allows the authorities to identify the person or group of persons responsible for the launch and to assess whether the violation was intentional or the result of a technical error by a civilian drone pilot.
Contradictory data
There are notable discrepancies between the versions of the parties involved. Outlets citing military sources emphasize that the drone "violated the airspace" of the facility and that the military effectively took no active action to neutralize it. The Polish Ministry of Defense, by contrast, states that the UAV did not fly over the base, but only violated the no-fly zone within a radius of about one kilometer, and characterizes it as civilian and posing no threat. Thus, one side speaks of a violation of the airspace of a military facility, while the other — of a flight in a prohibited zone nearby; the status of the device is also interpreted differently: from "an unidentified UAV" to "a civilian drone under observation."
Leadership reaction and regional context
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that he is awaiting the full report on the incident and promised to take the necessary measures if any violations are established during the investigation. The incident occurred against the backdrop of heightened tension: late on the evening of September 21, 2026, fighter aircraft were scrambled in Poland and Latvia due to the threat of an air attack, which took place against the backdrop of a massive drone attack on Ukraine. In addition, Warsaw announced the installation of sirens on the border with Ukraine, which, according to the authorities, is due to Russian attacks.
