Poland has demanded an explanation from Russia after reporting one of its missiles strayed briefly into Polish airspace during a major missile attack on Ukraine.
The Polish foreign ministry intends to summon the Russian ambassador, after the incident prompted the NATO member to activate F-16 fighter jets.
The missile was part of Russia’s third big attack on Ukraine in the past four days, and the second to target the capital, Kyiv.
Warsaw’s foreign ministry said it would “demand explanations from the Russian Federation in connection with another violation of the country’s airspace”.
“Above all, we call on the Russian Federation to stop the terrorist air attacks on the inhabitants and territory of Ukraine, end the war, and address the country’s internal problems.”
A cruise missile entered Polish airspace at 4.23am local time over the village of Oserdow, between half a mile and a mile over the border, for 39 seconds, Warsaw said.
Defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said it would have been shot down had there been any indication that it was heading towards a target in Poland.
Andrzej Szejna, a deputy foreign minister, told TVN24 the ministry intended to summon the Russian ambassador to Poland and hand him a protest note.
A missile killed two Polish citizens in 2022 which Western officials said was misfired by a Ukrainian air defence system.
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