A Russian balloon violated Polish airspace for several hours.
Drifted in accidentally
According to Ziare the Polish Armed Forces reported that the balloon, launched by Russia, entered the country’s territory around 3:30 PM.
"Preliminary assessments indicate that the Russian side lost control of one of the aerostats protecting installations in the Kaliningrad region," stated the official announcement from the Polish army.
Identified as an AKV-05 aerostat used by Russia, the balloon is designed for reconnaissance and surveillance within a 10-kilometer radius and apparently drifted into Poland accidentally.
Warsaw's Response to the Incident
The reaction in Warsaw was significant given the incident, although it was determined that the object did not pose a threat to Poland's national security.
Furthermore, Russian authorities had informed their neighbors about the potential for the object to enter Polish airspace.
"The Russian authorities had previously informed us about the possibility of the object entering the area," reported the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, according to Defenseromania.ro.
This proactive communication helped mitigate any immediate concerns regarding the balloon’s presence.
Balloon Returns to Russian Airspace
The balloon exited Polish territory and returned to Russian airspace around 8:00 PM on the same day.
In May, Russia deployed several such AKV-05 systems along the border with Finland. These systems include a balloon, a control vehicle, and a special gas supply station mounted on a car chassis.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions and the importance of maintaining open lines of communication to prevent misunderstandings in such sensitive regions.
