Polish parliament speaker believes Russian missiles may keep violating Polish airspace for as long as war in Ukraine rages on
Szymon Hołownia, Marshal (Speaker) of the Polish Sejm (lower house of the Polish parliament), believes that incidents involving Russian missiles violating Polish airspace may continue to occur for as long as the war in Ukraine rages on.
"Such incidents have happened, are happening, and are likely to happen as long as the war in Ukraine rages on," Hołownia said to Poland's national news agency PAP.
The Sejm speaker added that what is crucial is that "all the systems have performed [their duties]". He also called for these systems to be improved, "sparing neither effort nor money to arm ourselves".
Hołownia noted that actions to shoot down missiles should be taken in a way that does not harm civilians.
"If you shoot down such a missile, its wreckage ends up crashing somewhere, which becomes an uncontrollable and much more complicated process. I strongly believe that the [Polish] military did what they should have done," he added.
At 04:23 on the morning of 24 March, a Russian missile violated Polish airspace during a Russian missile attack on Ukraine. The missile reportedly entered Polish airspace near the village of Osierdów in the Lublin Voivodeship. It was there for 39 seconds.
Poland informed NATO Allies of another incident of a Russian missile violating the Alliance's border and said it would demand explanations from Russia.
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that Poland would have shot down the Russian missile if it had appeared to be heading for a target on Polish soil.