Polish airspace was likely violated by a Russian X-101 missile on 30 July during Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine, said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
“We were prepared to shoot down the missile if it continued its flight. Everything points to it having been a Russian X-101 cruise missile,” Tusk was quoted as saying by the Prime Minister’s Office.
He noted that the relevant services, primarily the army and the pilots, “acted very quickly and effectively”.
According to Tusk, there are no reports of damage or casualties resulting from the missile’s crash.
Earlier today, the Polish police reported that on 30 July, against the backdrop of a massive Russian strike on Ukraine, a crater and scattered debris from an unidentified object were discovered in the Lublin Voivodeship, near the towns of Tarnava-Kolonia and Tokary, a crater and scattered debris from an unidentified object had been discovered.
“Counter-terrorism officers have been dispatched to the scene. The investigation is ongoing,” the statement said. No further details were given as to the nature of the object.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that a coordination group had been convened in connection with the “serious incident”. Tusk, along with Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, travelled to Lublin, where they are taking part in the coordination group’s work.
Acting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, for his part, stated that during the night a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had crossed the Polish border, “violating NATO airspace”.
“This is yet another clear demonstration that strengthening Ukraine’s air defence is now a matter of urgency and serves as a guarantee of protection for the entire Euro-Atlantic community,” he wrote on X.
“The Russian missile incursion into Poland is also a reminder that for our two countries there is nothing more pressing than countering our common, age-old enemy, which poses a direct threat to both our peoples. All other differences must be set aside during this brutal war. Our top priority must be our shared security,” Sibiga emphasised.
He also added that Ukraine is informing all its partners and international organisations about the consequences of this attack and is calling for “increased support for Ukraine and greater pressure on the aggressor”.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, on the night of 30 July, the Russian military launched a massive combined strike against Ukraine, deploying a total of 74 missiles and 284 drones of various types.
“The main targets of the strike were the Kyiv and Lviv regions. The Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Poltava, Mykolaiv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions were also attacked. A distinctive feature of this massive attack was the simultaneous use of various types of air-launched weapons from different directions, as well as the deployment of a large number of ‘ballistic missiles’ and ‘cruise missiles’,” the statement said.
According to the military, preliminary information indicates that three anti-ship missiles, six ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles, as well as 17 attack UAVs, were recorded striking 20 locations, with debris falling at 13 locations. Information regarding eight missiles is being verified, the Air Force said.