NATO Criticizes Russian Drone Airspace Violation in Poland as “Irresponsible and Dangerous”

NATO has commented on Russia’s recent airspace violation in Poland on August 26, 2024. According to Polish military reports, the incident occurred during a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine.

NATO spokesperson Fara Dallala noted that the incident involving the “air object,” which preliminary information suggests may have been a Russian kamikaze drone, highlights the dangers of such situations. She emphasized that since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, fragments of Russian strike drones and missiles have frequently been found in NATO member countries. She described these actions as “irresponsible and potentially dangerous.”

According to Polish military officials, the object, which entered Polish airspace approximately 25 km deep, was detected by radar and remained in the airspace for about 33 minutes before disappearing. Polish General Maciej Kliś and Colonel Jacek Goryszewski reported that the drone, suspected to be a Shahed kamikaze drone, was not intercepted due to adverse weather conditions.

Details of the Incident:

• The object crossed the border at 06:43 AM and was tracked until 07:16 AM, when it vanished from radar screens. The Polish military determined that the object was not a missile but a drone based on its speed and trajectory.

• The drone was monitored throughout its flight by Polish air defense systems. However, due to weather conditions, the final identification and potential interception were not completed.

• There are no reports of ground damage or any destruction from the incident. Polish authorities are in contact with local officials and have not received any reports of anomalies or impacts on the ground. The search continues in the area where the drone might have fallen.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, there have been multiple incidents of missiles crossing into Polish airspace. In November 2022, a missile landed in the village of Przewodów, resulting in two fatalities. Another incident in December 2022 involved a Russian X-55 missile that fell in a forest near Bydgoszcz, with debris discovered in April 2023. In some cases, missiles briefly entered Polish airspace near the Ukrainian border but did not land.

NATO currently has no evidence suggesting that Russia intentionally targeted a NATO member country.