Object that struck eastern Poland likely a Russian missile, says PM

Poland’s prime minister said an unidentified object that crashed into a field near Tarnawa Kolonia in eastern Poland during the early hours of Thursday was probably a Russian missile, while officials continue investigations and pyrotechnical analysis.

The object created a roughly 10m-wide crater a short distance from the village, about 100km from the Ukrainian border, and was detected by Poland’s military at about 03:40 on Thursday (01:40 GMT). An F-16 fighter was scrambled to intercept the object before it disappeared from radar.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said all indications point to a Russian Kh-101 missile but that authorities want to be 100% certain about the missile type and origin. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz reported around 20 objects had been observed near Polish airspace overnight and that pyrotechnical tests were underway to identify the object that fell near Tarnawa Kolonia.

Ukraine’s acting foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, earlier said a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had crossed into Poland as part of a large-scale Russian strike on Lviv, an action he described as a violation of NATO airspace. Tusk said there were no reports of casualties and called the incident serious.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

Poland detected an object near Tarnawa Kolonia and dispatched an F-16 before the object disappeared from radar. Officials reported a 10m-wide crater at the impact site and ongoing pyrotechnical analysis to determine the object’s identity. Senior Polish and Ukrainian officials cited the Kh-101 missile as the likely type, with Polish authorities stressing the need for confirmation.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Unidentified object struck a field near Tarnawa Kolonia, eastern Poland, in the early hours of Thursday.
• Poland’s military detected the object at about 03:40 on Thursday (01:40 GMT) and sent an F-16 to intercept it.
• Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian acting foreign minister Andrii Sybiha indicated the object was likely a Russian Kh-101 missile; pyrotechnical analysis is ongoing and no casualties were reported.