Russian military drone crashes and explodes in eastern Poland, defence minister says

Published connected 20/08/2025 - 16:59 GMT+2 •Updated 19:58

A subject drone that collapsed successful a cornfield and exploded successful eastern Poland early connected Wednesday was Russian, nan country's defence curate has said.

Police said they received reports of nan clang astir 2 americium and recovered burned metallic and integrative debris astatine nan segment adjacent nan colony of Osiny.

As a consequence of nan explosion, windows were surgery successful immoderate houses but cipher was injured, PAP reported.

Speaking astatine a property convention connected Wednesday afternoon, Poland's Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed nan drone was Russian.

"This was different provocation carried retired by nan Russian Federation, it was a Russian drone. Note that it happened successful a peculiar moment, arsenic bid talks are ongoing and location are hopes for nan extremity to nan warfare that Russia declared against nan authorities of Ukraine, but which besides challenges nan information of nan NATO personnel states. In specified a infinitesimal Russia provokes again," he said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for nan Ministry of Foreign Affairs told nan media that nan drone was a Russian type of nan Shahed model, which is produced by Iran.

The subject reported that nan unmanned craft had a Chinese motor installed.

Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command said successful a societal media station that nary violations of Polish airspace from neighbouring Ukraine aliases Belarus had been recorded overnight.

Officials initially believed nan detonation whitethorn person been caused by a portion of an aged motor pinch a propeller.

Since Russia launched a full-scale penetration of Ukraine much than 3 years ago, location person been a number of incursions into Polish airspace, raising siren successful the European Union and NATO member authorities and reminding group really adjacent nan warfare is.

Poland is among nan staunchest supporters of Ukraine and will walk 4.12% of its GDP connected defence this year, according to estimates published by NATO.

And successful March, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to supply subject training to "every big male" successful nan look of ongoing information threats.