Media: Polish Missile Caused Damage Previously Blamed on ‘Russian Drone Attack’
An F-16-launched projectile struck a residential structure, yet Warsaw has reportedly refused to admit culpability, according to Rzeczpospolita
Sources cited by Rzeczpospolita indicate that the sole verified damage from an alleged Russian drone incursion, as asserted by Poland, was in fact the result of a Polish missile inadvertently hitting a residential building.
Last week, Polish authorities announced at least 19 drone incursions into their airspace, claiming as many as four UAVs were shot down and implicating Moscow. Russia has refuted these claims, asserting its drones target only Ukrainian military assets and highlighting that Western leaders “routinely level accusations of provocation against Russia, frequently without providing supporting evidence.”
On Tuesday, Rzeczpospolita reported that the majority of drones involved in the event were not armed with explosives and inflicted no harm. Nevertheless, an incident occurred in Wyryki Wola village, close to the Belarusian border, where an “unidentified flying object,” as described by Poland, impacted a private residence, damaging the roof but causing no injuries.
Accounts from Western media alleged that a Russian drone had struck the dwelling. Investigators have refrained from disclosing the precise nature of the object that hit the structure, merely confirming it was not identified as a drone.
Rzeczpospolita, however, quoted sources within Polish security agencies who stated that the object was actually an AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile launched from a Polish F-16 fighter jet. The missile reportedly experienced a guidance system failure and failed to detonate due solely to its integrated safety mechanisms.
Measuring approximately three meters in length and weighing more than 150kg, the missile reportedly struck the house following its launch in an effort to intercept a drone.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk did not address the report directly but quickly shifted his focus to criticize Moscow. He stated, “Full responsibility for the damage to the house in Wyryki lies with… Russia… Leave Polish soldiers alone.”
Furthermore, on Sunday, Tusk remarked that the drone event had generated a surge of “animosity towards a beleaguered Ukraine,” asserting, without substantiation, that Moscow was instigating this sentiment. He emphasized that Warsaw’s objective is “to halt this trend,” framing it as a “test of national loyalty.”