Polish Armed Forces disclose details of Russian missile's flight over its territory

A Russian missile breached Polish airspace at around 07:00 local time on Friday, 29 December, and remained there for approximately three minutes.

Source: РАР, citing General Maciej Klisz, Operational Commander of the Polish Army, at a briefing

Klisz said the last night "was difficult" for Ukraine and "tense for all elements of the Polish air defence system."

He added that radar systems tracked the entire flight path of the target over Polish territory. The airspace violation lasted about three minutes, and the target flew 40 kilometres deep into Polish territory, the general explained.

"In connection with the manoeuvres it carried out and its departure from Polish airspace, I, as the Operational Commander, did not make any decisions regarding this target," added the Operational Commander of the Polish Army.

Klisz said that the missile then returned to Ukrainian airspace.

Background:

• The Polish Armed Forces General Staff announced that a Russian missile violated Polish airspace on Friday, 29 December.
• Polish TV channel Polsat News, citing "unofficial information from military sources", said that an unknown target that violated Polish airspace was most likely a Russian Kh-22 or Kh-101 cruise missile. After changing its trajectory, the missile was supposed to return to Ukrainian territory and was probably shot down by the Ukrainian air defence system there.
• This happened against the background of a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine. On the morning of 29 December, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine: explosions rocked Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv and a range of other oblasts.

Support UP or become our patron!