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Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, commenting on the intrusion of a Russian missile into Polish territory, stated that “there are no grounds to believe that Poland was the target.”
As reported by the Polish publication Onet, Tusk made this statement during a visit to Tarnawa-Kolonia (Lublin Voivodeship), where the missile fell during the night, accompanied by Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński.
“We have come here to emphasize to the services, particularly the prosecutor’s office, the importance of quickly clarifying all circumstances of this dramatic event, which, fortunately, resulted in no casualties or destruction,” Tusk said.
“As we know, this is the result of a large-scale Russian operation,” he added, clarifying that cruise missiles were deployed across Ukraine.
The Polish Prime Minister noted that according to Polish military reports, starting around midnight, “Ukrainian fighter jets tracked and attempted to destroy missiles flying towards the Polish border, right up to the border with Poland.”
The Prime Minister reported that two objects crossed Polish airspace.
“One for sure, as we have its trace here. And another near the Polish border, but it was a very brief signal, so there were no consequences,” he said, adding that the military was prepared to shoot down the missile if it posed a direct threat to populated areas.
Later, Kosiniak-Kamysz clarified that the second missile almost crossed the border but turned back.
Tusk added that according to military experts, the vast majority of traces and found components point to a Russian Kh-101 missile.
“This is a cruise missile, capable of carrying a warhead, and it is also very likely that the explosion occurred right here. The size of the crater, with a diameter of 10 meters and a depth of up to 5 meters, indicates that this was a very serious incident,” the Prime Minister stated.
The Minister of National Defense assured that if there had been a risk of the missile hitting a building, the fighter pilot had full authorization to shoot it down.
“We observed over 20 missiles approaching or maneuvering near the Polish border,” he said. The minister added that the entire operation was also coordinated with the Ukrainian side.