WARSAW: The Russian ambassador in Warsaw did not attend a summons issued by Poland’s foreign ministry following a breach of Polish airspace by a Russian cruise missile over the weekend, officials confirmed on Monday.
Poland reported on Sunday that a Russian cruise missile, targeting towns in western Ukraine, had violated Polish airspace overnight, lingering for approximately 39 seconds. The missile, flying at a speed of nearly 800 kilometers per hour and at an altitude of around 400 meters, crossed approximately two kilometers into Polish territory.
Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Poland activated all air defense systems in response to the intrusion, emphasizing that the missile would have been intercepted if it posed a threat to Polish territory.
Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski informed reporters that the Russian ambassador’s absence raised concerns regarding the representation of Russia’s interests in Warsaw and adherence to diplomatic protocols. He noted that a diplomatic note demanding an explanation for the airspace violation would be conveyed to the Russian foreign ministry through alternative channels.
This incident marks a recurrence of similar airspace breaches, including one in December 2023 when a Russian missile entered Polish territory for several minutes before returning to Ukraine. Additionally, in November 2022, two persons were killed in Poland when a Ukrainian air-defense missile accidentally landed in the village of Przewodow near the Ukrainian border.
