Drone crash, another NATO provocation by Russia - Polish Minister

Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said that Russia is provoking NATO countries again.

Kosiniak-Kamysz said this on Wednesday at a press conference in Warsaw after a drone explosion in the eastern part of the country scorched a corn field in the early hours of Wednesday. 

Speaking to journalists, he accused Russia of threatening the security of NATO countries at a time where peace talks to end its invasion of Ukraine were ongoing. 

“Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone. We are dealing with it in a crucial moment, when discussions about peace (in Ukraine) are underway. 

We are dealing with this at a time when there is hope that this war declared by Russia—a war against the Ukrainian state, but also a war threatening the security of NATO countries—may have a chance of ending. Russia is provoking this once again.” he said. 

Authorities discovered burnt metal and plastic debris at the blast site, and corn crops within an 8–10-metre radius were scorched.

Although no casualties were reported, villagers in Osiny, Lublin near the Ukrainian border reportedly had shattered windows. 

Poland has maintained heightened vigilance along its eastern frontier since a stray Ukrainian missile struck the village of Przewodow in 2022, killing two people.

General Dariusz Malinowski said the drone appeared to be a decoy which was designed to self-destruct. He said it had a Chinese engine.

The Defence minister also appeared to accuse Russia of deploying the same tactics in similar incidents in neighbouring countries. 

“Russia will never admit to this. Just as it hasn't admitted to any of the eight incidents in Moldova, three incidents in Romania, three incidents in Lithuania, two incidents in Latvia, and one incident in Bulgaria involving drones. Not to mention the missiles; the Russian Federation will never admit to this.”

Moscow is yet to address any of these allegations with Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov saying that any meetings for peace talks without Russia involved is a “road to nowhere”.

Copied