International-News

Russian drone explodes in Poland, Warsaw accuses Moscow

The device fell in Osiny, near the borders with Ukraine and Belarus. Poland sends diplomatic note of protest to Russia and warns NATO: ‘Threat to all of Europe’

A drone, probably of Russian manufacture, exploded last night in a field in the village of Osiny, in eastern Poland, about 120 kilometres from the Ukrainian border and a hundred from the Belarusian border. The explosion, captured by surveillance cameras, damaged the windows of nearby houses but caused no injuries.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called the incident ‘another violation of our airspace from the east,’ stressing that ‘Poland’s most important mission in NATO is to defend its territory.’ Warsaw will submit a diplomatic note of protest to Russia, as announced by Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski, who also assured NATO allies that they would be immediately informed: ‘We will show all other incidents of violation of Polish airspace.’

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that it was a Russian version of the Shahed drone, pointing the finger at Moscow: ‘Russia is once again provoking NATO countries, after incidents in Romania, Lithuania and Latvia.’

According to sources at the Ministry of Defence, reported by the Pap agency, it is most likely a military decoy drone without a warhead, used as a means of disruption.

The incident comes at a particularly sensitive time, with new international discussions on peace in Ukraine underway.

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