Polish officials say the suspected drone over the eastern border was probably not a test after all.
Intruder’s Landing in Rural Lublin
The drone entered Poland at night from the east on August 19‑20, skirting the Ukraine border before crashing in a cornfield nearinach in Lublin province, more than 100 km from Ukraine and 120 km from Warsaw.
Official Statements Point to a Russian S‑Hawk Decoy
Within a day, statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the armed forces and the prosecutor’s office suggested the aircraft was a Russian Shahed‑type drone, likely a jammer without a standard warhead and possibly approaching from Belarus over Poland.
Engine and Trail Analysis
Photos of the recovered engine and the explosion trail show a four‑cylinder powerplant typical of Shahed/G‑3‑2 models, yet the blast marks reveal a weapon lighter than a conventional Shahed warhead, implying a self‑destruct component intended to destroy the drone itself rather than deliver a payload on the ground.
Are Decoys Really Distorting the Picture?
Russian decoys usually employ smaller, lighter two‑cylinder engines that run out before reaching Ukraine. The presence of a four‑cylinder engine in Polish corn suggests the intruder may have been a larger, dedicated variant rather than a standard decoy.
Possible Electronic Intelligence Drone
Some analysts believe the drone may belong to an electronic‑warfare or reconnaissance class, outfitted with custom electronics designed to jam enemy radars or gather data, coupled with a self‑destruct system to erase traces.
Was the Fly‑by Accidental or Intentional?
There is speculation that the flight could have been a deliberate test of Polish air‑defence systems, or a covert reconnaissance mission probing defence capabilities via the Belarusian corridor.
Conclusions and Future Outlook
While officials are unlikely to disclose technical details, the most straightforward explanation is that it was a large, unknown decoy—possibly launched intentionally. The incident highlights the difficulty of detecting low‑flying, slow drones along the eastern frontier without extensive radar coverage.
Source: Gazeta,
