Poland did not down Russian missiles as they posed no threat to its territory – Defense Minister

He made this statement during an interview with Voice of America.

The Defense Minister explained that Poland has strengthened its air defense system, with the Rzeszow airport now under NATO protection. Additionally, during Russian strikes on Ukraine, Polish F-16s are placed on alert to secure border areas.

“If our airspace is breached, a missile or drone will be taken down. We will act if it’s physically possible,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

He added that in previous incidents, when missiles entered Poland, “it was a matter of seconds.” For this reason, he noted, missiles cannot be intercepted unless they pose a direct threat to Poland or other NATO countries.

Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that there has never been a case where a missile targeted an object on Polish soil.

At the same time, he reiterated that NATO has not authorized Poland to intercept missiles over Ukrainian airspace.

“So, we’ll defend our territory,” the Defense Minister emphasized.

• During Russia’s attack on Ukraine on March 24, a Russian cruise missile crossed into Polish airspace, prompting a response from Polish and allied aircraft. The Polish Foreign Ministry stated it would demand an explanation from Russia for the incident.
• Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador ignored a summons from the Polish Foreign Ministry after the event. The Polish Armed Forces’ General Staff also clarified why the missile was not intercepted near the Ukraine-Poland border.