Credited from: REUTERS
A Russian drone reportedly crashed in a cornfield in the village of Osiny, eastern Poland, with the nation’s defense minister describing the incident as a **provocation** by Russia. The crash occurred overnight, approximately 100 km from the Ukrainian border and 90 km from Belarus, raising security concerns amidst ongoing peace discussions regarding the war in Ukraine, according to Reuters and SCMP.
Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, emphasized that this incident aligns with recent patterns of Russian drones flying into neighboring countries and described it as an effort to provoke NATO during delicate negotiations. He stated, **“Once again, we are dealing with a provocation by the Russian Federation, with a Russian drone,”** underscoring the timing's significance concerning peace talks, according to Channel News Asia and SCMP.
Reports indicate that Polish authorities received notifications of the crash at approximately 2 am local time. Police investigations revealed that the explosion shattered windows in nearby homes, but miraculously, no injuries were reported. Some residents described hearing a loud bang during the explosion, causing significant distress in the local community, as detailed by Reuters and Channel News Asia.
Following the incident, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski indicated that early findings suggest involvement of a Russian version of the Shahed drone, which is originally developed in Iran. General Dariusz Malinowski added the drone appeared to be a decoy intended to self-destruct, featuring components from Chinese engineering, reinforcing the notion that it was a calculated act of provocation, according to SCMP and Reuters.