Unknown Flying Objects Over Poland
Spy balloons and Russian cruise missiles have flown over Poland, and the NATO wants to prepare for further “provocative actions”. However, the security of the eastern flank has gaps.
Suspected Belarusian Spy Balloons
Last week, an automatic alert message was sent to Polish phones by the government security center after two suspected Belarusian spy balloons passed over the Polish border. The Polish Air Force launched fighter jets, but the balloons disappeared. One reportedly exited Polish airspace towards Denmark, and the fate of the other remains unknown. This is not the first flying object to go missing over Poland.
Russian Missile Crash
In mid-December, a Russian cruise missile crashed into a forest near Bydgoszcz, remaining there until its remnants were accidentally discovered in April. This incident caused confusion and political tension in Poland. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak rejects calls to resign, instead blaming the Polish military for failing to inform him and emphasize that NATO was notified of the missile’s entry into Polish airspace.
Preparing for “Provocative Actions”
The recent incidents demonstrate that the NATO’s eastern flank is not impenetrable, says military expert Mariusz Cielma. Low-flying missiles are hard to detect via radar, and there are likely many areas where NATO radars, particularly those in Poland, are unable to detect them. NATO supports effective surveillance mainly through reconnaissance aircraft such as the “AWACS” planes stationed in Germany. However, this leaves a substantial window of time for missiles to fly over the Polish border without detection.
The Unsettling Relationship between the Minister and Military
The public exchange between Defense Minister Blaszczak and General Tomasz Piotrowski highlights the tension in the Polish military’s relationship with the defense ministry. Piotrowski made a public appeal on social media for the stabilization of emotions, and a strong and supportive unified front between the ministry and the military.
The concerned incidents are unlikely direct threats to civilians. However, they serve as examples of how quickly the NATO can react at the eastern flank. These events create an opportunity for Russia to register the NATO’s reaction, or lack thereof, to these developments.