American officials are unsure whether Russia intentionally sent drones into Polish airspace, with a high-ranking military officer saying the likelihood is “50-50”.
According to CNN, citing a high-ranking American military officer, the probability that Russia intentionally sent drones into Poland is “50-50”. The officer noted that without clear intelligence from Russia, it is impossible to determine with certainty.
CNN also spoke to another source who stated that Western services do not have sufficient data on the matter.
Experts told CNN that the number of drones involved does not necessarily indicate intent, as they are often programmed in large numbers. It is possible that 19 or 20 drones, when encountering Ukrainian electronic warfare systems, behaved similarly.
Ukrainian sources confirmed to CNN that they used devices that can cause enemy drones to deviate from their programmed course.
A Western intelligence officer expressed a view that the incursion was not intentional. However, another American military representative and a Congressional official stated that the incident appeared to be deliberate.
Regardless of the intent, analysts see the incident as an alarming signal that Russia’s readiness to provoke NATO has increased, potentially leading to an escalation of the conflict.
Polish authorities believe that Russia deliberately violated Polish airspace. Radosław Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that the drones were not deflected from their course but were deliberately directed.
Polish forces, with the support of allies from the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany, successfully intercepted the drones.
