Drone with Russian markings crashes in Poland
The district prosecutor’s office in Olsztyn in northern Poland is investigating a case involving a large drone with Russian-language inscriptions which fell to the ground on a private farmstead in Kętrzyn, roughly 30 km from the Russian border, Polsat News reported.
On August 31, Polish Border Guard representative Miroslav Aleksandrovich announced that the case had been transferred to the district prosecutor’s office in Olsztyn for consideration.
“The collected material is currently being analyzed, the facts are being assessed and the judicial classification of the developments is being determined,” said prosecutor’s office press secretary Kszysztof Stodolny, citing the local news outlet Kentrzyn News. He added that after this the prosecutor’s office will give more detailed information on the case.
The news outlet reported that a drone with Russian-language inscriptions had landed on a private farmstead in New Różanka. It is currently unclear whether the drone belongs to the Russian army or to smugglers.
Polish radio station RMF.FM reported that it is most likely to be a Russian reconnaissance drone, not a civilian drone. The drone is currently being studied by Polish experts, as well as the military and civilian intelligence agencies.
From the 1st to the 30th of September, Poland is restricting air movement for civilian planes in the north-east and east of the country, close to the border with Russia and Belarus. Experts believe that these measures are related to the Russian and Belarusian Zapad 2017 military exercises, which will take place between the 14th and the 20th of September, and are intended to give protection against possible provocation.
Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said that with the Zapad 2017 exercises Russia wants to demonstrate its ability to wage a large-scale war in Europe.