Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Claims Russian Missile Struck Lublin Voivodeship Field

At 3:40 AM, Polish radars detected an unidentified aerial object crossing into Poland from Ukraine, prompting F-16 fighter jets to scramble before the object disappeared from screens.

Nighttime Radar Detection and Scramble

At 3:40 AM, Polish radars detected a foreign object flying over Poland in a western direction. The Operational Command of the Armed Forces deployed a duty F-16 fighter jet as a standard procedure for airspace violations. Six minutes later, at 3:46 AM, the object disappeared from radar screens before the pilot could definitively identify it.

Air Raid Sirens and Official Warnings

Around 3:50 AM, air raid sirens sounded in Lublin and Krasnystaw, being canceled after a few minutes. Lublin Voivodeship Spokesman Marcin Bubicz stated that the decision to activate the sirens followed a Government Centre for Security directive due to Russian aviation activity and combat operations in Ukraine. Krasnystaw Mayor Daniel Miciuła assured residents that the warning system functioned efficiently and urged them to remain calm and follow exclusively official announcements.

Discovery of the Impact Site

To verify radar readings, an Mi-24 helicopter was sent to the area of the object’s last recorded position. Its crew located a probable impact site in an undeveloped area near Tarnawa-Kolonia from the air. Police received reports of a “powerful roar” heard between Tarnawa-Kolonia and Biskupice. After 5:00 AM, patrols found a crater and scattered object fragments in a field between Tarnawa-Kolonia and Tokary, approximately two kilometers from buildings. Firefighters secured the crater, which measures about 10 meters in diameter.

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin provided more detailed data regarding the impact site: the crater is approximately 10 meters in diameter and 5 meters deep, with object debris scattered within a radius of roughly 200 meters.

Military Assessment of Direct Threats

Operational Commander of the Armed Forces Major General Pilot Ireneusz Nowak informed a coordination team meeting that two missiles directly threatening Poland were intercepted. He noted he was ready to issue an interception order, with Polish fighters positioned exactly where the missile struck the ground, and stated they were prepared to shoot it down had the missile continued its flight.

Diverging Official Identifications

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha wrote on platform X that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed the Polish border during a massive strike against Ukraine, thereby violating NATO airspace. This remains the only public specific identification of the object, as Polish authorities have not officially confirmed it and emphasize that determining the exact nature of the object is still ongoing.

Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated at a coordination team meeting that it is “most likely” a Kh-101 missile, though this must be confirmed. The Polish side is also currently reviewing a Ukrainian request to join the investigation.

Security Services and On-Site Operations

”Wyborcza” journalist Agata Kulczycka reported from the scene that many onlookers are present, with some hearing an explosion at 3:00 AM and many hearing a low-flying aircraft at 5:00 AM, leaving residents frightened and questioning whether Poland is in danger or if a war is coming.

In addition to aviation and the fire department, a Ground Search and Rescue Team and police counter-terrorists were dispatched to the site. The Military Gendarmerie, Internal Security Agency, Military Counterintelligence Service, and the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin were notified, and police secured the area surrounding the crater.

Government and Presidential Reactions

Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote that it was an “extremely difficult night for our air defense, observation, and threat detection systems,” assuring that information was continuously passed to coordinating services and top state officials while efforts to determine the fallen object’s type continue.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced he convened a coordination team with the Minister of National Defence and relevant services working on-site, confirming during the meeting that there are no reports of casualties or damage.

National Security Bureau (BBN) Head Bartosz Grodecki wrote on X that President Karol Nawrocki is continuously briefed on the nocturnal airspace violation and remains in contact with the prime minister and defense minister, expecting precise and detailed information while a BBN representative was dispatched to the scene.

Visual Documentation of the Incident

Surveillance cameras captured footage of the unidentified object’s fall, and photographs of the resulting impact crater have been publicly released.