A Russian missile invades Polish airspace

Poland He demanded an explanation from whom Russia Sunday, after a Russian missile briefly deviated into Polish airspace during a missile attack on Ukraine, prompting the NATO member state to operate F-16 fighter jets.

This is the third major missile attack launched by Russia against Ukraine in the past four days, and the second on the capital, Kiev.

The head of the military administration in Kiev, Serhiy Popko, indicated that Russia used cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers. The air warning in the capital continued for more than two hours, as missiles entered Kiev in groups from the north.

She added that the attacks were launched from the Engels area in the Russian Saratov region.

He added that according to preliminary data, there were no casualties or damage in the capital.

The Operations Command of the Polish Armed Forces, a NATO member, explained in a statement that Polish airspace was violated at 4:23 a.m. (0323 GMT) by one of the cruise missiles launched by Russia at towns in western Ukraine.

The object entered near the village of Ocerdo in an agricultural area near the border with Ukraine, and remained in Polish airspace for 39 seconds, according to the statement. It was not immediately clear whether Russia intended the missile to enter Polish airspace. Cruise missiles can change course to evade air defense systems.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz later told reporters in a televised news conference that the Russian missile could have been shot down if there had been any indication it was heading towards a target in Poland.

He added that the Polish authorities monitored the attack on Ukraine and were in contact with their Ukrainian counterpart. Polish F-16s and NATO aircraft were activated as part of the strategic response.

He added that the missile penetrated Polish airspace about one to two kilometers (half a mile to a mile) when Russia targeted the area around Lviv in western Ukraine.

He added: “Since last night's missile attack on Ukraine was one of the most violent attacks since the beginning of the Russian aggression, all strategic actions were started on time and the object was monitored until it left Polish airspace.”

On the diplomatic level, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it “will request clarifications from the Russian Federation regarding another violation of the country’s airspace.”