Chief of Poland's armed forces Gen. Wieslaw Kukula tells to the media that everything indicates that a Russian missile intruded in eastern Poland's airspace and left after a short time, following a national security meeting over the incident in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023. (AP Photo)
Republished December 30, 2023 - 11:27 AM
Original Publication Date December 30, 2023 - 6:26 AM
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Russia will not provide any explanations about an unidentified object that briefly entered Poland’s airspace until it receives evidence that shows the object was a Russian missile, Russia’s top diplomat in Poland said Saturday.
Poland’s defense forces said an unknown object traveled 40 kilometers (24 miles) into the country’s airspace Friday from the direction of Ukraine before leaving minutes later and vanishing off radars. The head of the Polish armed forces, Gen. Wieslaw Kukula, said “everything indicates” it was a Russian missile.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry demanded explanations from Moscow. Russia’s charge d’affaires in Warsaw, Andrei Ordash, told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Saturday that Poland's claims were “unsubstantiated.”
“We will not give any explanations until we are presented with concrete evidence, because these accusations are unsubstantiated,” Ordash told RIA Novosti.
Some 500 Polish Territorial Defense troops combed an area between the city of Zamosc and the border with Ukraine for any traces of the object Saturday, but officials said nothing suspicious was found.
Poland’s border with Ukraine is also the European Union and NATO's border with Ukraine.
News from © The Associated Press, 2023