Why Russian missile flew over Poland: Expert reveals Kremlin's goal
Photo: Kh-101 missiles (Russian media)
A Russian Kh-101 cruise missile flew over Polish territory on the night of July 30. The incident could reshape Warsaw's attitude toward Kyiv, according to political analyst and international affairs expert Stanislav Zhelikhovskyi.
"Russia did not do this by accident. It may appear that the missile simply went off course, but this is not the first time Russia has violated the airspace of EU and NATO member states. Romanian air forces have shot down drones at least three times recently. I believe Russia is testing how NATO member states will react to these kinds of airspace incursions," Zhelikhovskyi said.
The analyst stressed that such provocations require Poland and NATO to strengthen their security, and that the most effective way to enhance their defense capabilities is by deepening cooperation with Ukraine.
"Understanding this should change the Polish perspective on the situation and our bilateral relations. This means there is hope that Warsaw will move toward stronger cooperation with Ukraine across various sectors, particularly in defense," he added.
Poland ready for closer contacts with Ukraine
The expert described the recent talks between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Tusk as a positive signal.
"I believe the discourse in Poland regarding Ukraine is already beginning to change. We can see that the Poles are ready to develop new contacts with our country. The fact that President Zelenskyy flew to Poland after his visit to the United States says a lot, especially since there had been questions about why he had recently been traveling to other countries through Moldova," Zhelikhovskyi said.
Regarding public opinion, the analyst argued that attitudes within Polish society are largely shaped by the country's political elite.
"Everything will depend on how Poland's elites behave now. We must understand that the wave of hate and anti-Ukrainian sentiment did not emerge out of nowhere. Much of it resulted from the actions of Polish politicians. I believe stronger cooperation between our countries can change this situation, because it would likely lead to a less aggressive tone in Poland's rhetoric than we have seen recently," he concluded.
Russian missile over Poland
As previously reported, eastern Poland issued an air raid alert overnight as Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against western Ukraine. Reports later emerged that one or two missiles may have briefly entered Polish airspace.
Residents of the Lublin Voivodeship later reported hearing powerful explosions. Authorities subsequently discovered a large crater in a field near the village of Tarnawa-Kolonia, which preliminary reports suggested may have been caused by the impact of an unidentified object.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later announced that an emergency coordination group would convene on July 30 following the violation of the country's airspace by an unidentified object.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile had flown over Polish territory during the overnight attack.
