An object that came down in eastern Poland overnight is suspected to be a Russian missile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday, after authorities found a crater and scattered debris in a field following reports of an explosion.
Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace after Russian air strikes killed at least eight people in neighbouring Ukraine, including one in Kiev, the capital, in attacks that extended as far as the western city of Lviv.
"All the indications are that it was a Russian Kh-101 ballistic missile, but we want to be 100 percent certain about the type of missile and who launched it," Tusk told an emergency meeting.
Tusk said there was “no reason to believe Poland was the intended target of the missile,” adding that the Polish troops were ready to “shoot down” the missile if it had threatened a populated area.
He also underlined the United States had expressed interest in participating in the investigation into the missile incident.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had said earlier in a post on X that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed into Poland.
The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Police find crater and debris
The operational command of Poland's armed forces said earlier on X that "An unidentified object moving westward was detected in Polish airspace," adding that it disappeared from radars soon after it was seen at 3:40 a.m. local time (0140 GMT).
A Mi-24 helicopter that went to the object's last location to verify and confirm the radar data pinpointed the likely crash site, it added.
"A helicopter crew located the probable crash site of the object in an undeveloped area near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia in Lublin province."
The object left a crater about 10 metres wide, the interior ministry added on X. According to local authorities, it was located in farmland about 2 km from residential buildings.
France condemns airspace violation, vows support
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the reported violation of Poland's airspace during overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine.
"France strongly condemns the Russian strikes that killed civilians in Ukraine, as well as the violation of Polish airspace," Macron wrote on X.
He further voiced continued support for Ukraine and Poland.
"This is a matter of our collective security," Macron added.
