The scene in the Lublin region of eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]
The scene in the Lublin region of eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that an unidentified object that fell in eastern Poland in the early morning hours was most likely a Russian Kh-101 missile.

Tusk visited the site in the eastern Lublin region where the object came down and told reporters, according to Reuters, that "all circumstances indicate that the object is a Russian Kh-101 missile."

However, Tusk said he wanted to be 100 percent certain of the missile's type and who fired it, adding that experts were continuing to investigate the scene.

"The missile fell in an uninhabited area and there are no direct casualties," Tusk said, adding that Polish forces had been ready to shoot it down had it continued flying.

He said there was no reason to believe Poland was the intended target, but added that he would conduct a thorough review of how Poland responded to the incident.

Polish authorities detected an unidentified object moving westward in their airspace at around 3:40 a.m. Thursday and scrambled F-16 fighter jets. The object disappeared from radar at around 3:46 a.m., before pilots could make contact.

Authorities later announced they had recovered a large crater about 10 meters in diameter and debris from a field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia in the Lublin region. Local prosecutors said the crater was about 5 meters deep and that debris was scattered across a 200-meter radius.

The scene in eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]
The scene in eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]

The impact site is on farmland about 2 kilometers from a residential area. Reports of a loud explosion were also received. Tusk said he had discussed the matter with President Karol Nawrocki, who is aligned with the opposition. Ukraine offered to send experts to assist with Poland's on-site investigation.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had earlier posted on X, formerly Twitter, that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had passed through Polish airspace.

Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones against major Ukrainian cities Thursday, including the capital Kyiv and the western city of Lviv, killing eight people and wounding dozens.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on X that he was getting ahead of any Russian disinformation, noting that the Kh-101 missile is used exclusively by Russia's strategic air forces.

The scene in eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]
The scene in eastern Poland where an unidentified object fell Thursday. [EPA]

Poland, which shares its eastern border with Ukraine, has had its airspace violated multiple times since the war in Ukraine began.

In September last year, multiple drones entered Polish airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine, and Polish air force and NATO allies shot down some of the aircraft for the first time in history.

If the object that fell in eastern Poland is confirmed to be a Russian missile, analysts expect it to further escalate tensions between NATO allies and Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Tusk wrote on X that he was "in close contact with European leaders and NATO leadership regarding the violation of Polish airspace," adding that "all leaders expressed full solidarity and said they are ready to provide all necessary support."


dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com