Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has stressed Ukraine’s offer to “provide all the necessary assistance” in investigating a latest violation of Poland’s airspace.
This comes as Poland launched investigation into a missile that was detected in Polish airspace and crashed near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, some 80 km from the Polish-Ukrainian border.
Sybiha said that “a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed into Poland as part of Russia’s massive strike against Ukraine, violating Nato airspace.”
He expressed full solidarity with Poland, adding, “We agreed that strengthening Ukraine’s air shield should be an urgent priority for the entire Euro-Atlantic community.”
“I believe that today’s missile incursion also serves as a stark reminder of the horrific reality facing both our countries: it is time to focus on countering acute threats in the present rather than divisive debates about the past.”
Andrii Sybiha
Lublin prosecutor Grzegorz Trusiewicz told a media briefing that Ukraine has requested to join the Polish investigation into the missile incident. He note that this request is currently being considered, and “it is possible that they will come here and work with Polish authorities to identify the object that entered Polish airspace and determine what exactly we are dealing with.” He added that the crash site is being “mapped” and will be examined in detail.
Visiting the site of the incident, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that early indications suggest the missile that crashed in rural Poland was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile. However, he stressed that “there are no reasons to think Poland was the intended target for this missile.”
He also said that the Polish air force was ready to shoot down the missile if it threatened an inhabited area. He noted that the US is interested in joining the investigation into the incident.
Additionally, Tusk said that today’s incident has only increased his determination to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
“Poland’s security depends directly and unequivocally on the effective actions of the Ukrainian military, including in the air. If the Ukrainians had much more of what they’ve been asking for all along, perhaps that ballistic missile wouldn’t have been launched toward Poland.”
Donald Tusk
He said that Poland was determined to do whatever it could “for Ukraine not to lose this war.” He stated that it’s “an unusual coincidence” that the incident took place just hours after his meeting with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which they discussed bilateral cooperation, including on antiballistic defence, saying, “Zelenskyy had warned me that they had precise information on Russia’s upcoming massive attack” on Ukraine.
Violation Of Polish Airspace Decried
European leaders criticized the incident. French President Emmanuel Macron said, “France condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian strikes that killed civilians in Ukraine, as well as the violation of Polish airspace.” “Our support for Ukraine and our allies will not waver,…This is a matter of our collective security,” he added.
European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X, “Another unacceptable violation of our EU airspace caused by Russia’s latest strikes on Ukraine, this time over Poland.”
“The Polish people are famously unafraid dear @donaldtusk, and our thoughts are with them.To put an end to this, we are helping Ukraine win this war in every way we can. And we are building a robust European security architecture on land, at sea and in the air.”
Ursula von der Leyen
Also, European Council President António Costa stressed that “Russia’s aggression is a threat to the security of Europe as a whole,” as he condemned the overnight strikes on Ukraine and an airspace violation in Poland. In a post on X, he said:
“Last night, Russia launched a massive combined strike against Ukraine. During the attack, Polish airspace was also violated, underlining once again that Russia’s aggression is a threat to the security of Europe as a whole. My thoughts are with the victims of these attacks.
“The European Union stands in full solidarity with the Ukrainian and Polish authorities working tirelessly to protect and defend their citizens.We are stepping up our support to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence, including anti-missile and anti-drone capabilities. Europe will continue to stand united in the face of this aggression.”
António Costa
Estonian President Alar Karis warned that Russia’s war “continues to endanger lives far beyond Ukraine,” as he expressed his nation’s solidarity with Ukraine and Poland.
READ ALSO: Boxer Desmond Pappoe Withdraws from Commonwealth Games Due to Shoulder Injury
