As of yesterday evening, Poland’s three-day search for an unidentified Russian aerial object that entered its airspace on 26 August 2024 has ended without success, according to RMF24. The object, possibly a Shahed suicide drone, was detected during a massive Russian air attack on Ukrainian cities, as Poland scrambled fighter jets, but the drone was never engaged.
On 28 August 2024, Polish authorities reported they have not located the Russian drone that was tracked entering from Ukraine but disappeared from radar near Tyszowce, 30 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The search for the drone, involving ground patrols and helicopters, was ongoing, according to RMF24.
Meanwhile, Poland says NATO has expressed skepticism about the idea of Poland or other Alliance members assisting in shooting down Russian missiles and drones over western Ukraine. Polish Deputy PM and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated,
“[N]o country individually will take such decisions. I have not seen any supporters in NATO to take this decision,” the Polish Deputy Prime Minister pointed out, as reported by Polish news agency PAP.
Moreover, Poland itself is hesitant to shoot down Russian air targets without aid from NATO partners:
“I am not surprised that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for more aid, because that is his role. But our role is to make decisions in line with the interests of the Polish state. And we are making such decisions today,” stated Kosiniak-Kamysz, later adding:“We have talked about this many times and it requires, as I understand it, the support of several countries. Poland, as I understand it, is hesitant to be left alone with this decision,” he said
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