Polish authorities announced on Thursday the discovery of a crater in the eastern part of the country that may mark the impact site of a projectile, coinciding with recent Russian attacks on Ukraine during the night, according to reports.
In response to Russian airstrikes that have resulted in at least 13 fatalities in Ukraine, Poland has mobilized fighter jets to secure its airspace, as reported by Reuters.
Residents of Tarnawa Kolonia, located in the Lublin region, reported hearing a loud explosion just before 4:00 AM local time, which vibrated the windows of nearby homes. The site of the crater is approximately 80 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
10-Meter Diameter Crater Found in a Field
Local citizens alerted the police, who discovered “a crater about two kilometers from residential areas, with a ten-meter diameter, along with remnants of an unidentified object,” as stated in a communiqué cited by France Presse.
The Operational Command of the Armed Forces informed that a Mi-24 helicopter was deployed after an “unidentified object moving west was detected in Polish airspace.” The object disappeared from radar shortly after it was spotted at 3:40 AM local time.
The Mi-24 helicopter that proceeded to the last known position of the object to verify radar data located the likely crash site, according to the Polish military.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk is scheduled to visit the site during the day and has announced the establishment of a special coordination team.
“An extremely challenging night for our air defense and threat detection systems,” stated the Deputy Prime Minister, as quoted by Gazeta Wyborcza. “Investigations are currently underway to determine what type of object fell near Tarnawa-Kolonia,” the Warsaw official added.
Investigation in Poland Amid Ukrainian Accusations
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiga asserted on X that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had entered Poland’s airspace, a NATO member state, according to Reuters.
Poland has not yet officially confirmed the nature of the object. An investigation has been launched to determine the origin and type of the projectile.
During the night, Russia launched 74 missiles and 284 drones against Ukraine, resulting in at least eight deaths, particularly targeting the Lviv region in the west, near the Polish border.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Wednesday that Russia is expected to launch a major assault. The Ukrainian leader met with Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Lublin the previous evening, after concluding a visit to the United States, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump.
