An aerial object has been found in northeastern Poland, near the border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, with military police suggesting it may be a military observation drone without combat capabilities. The device was discovered on Saturday in a field near the town of Bartoszyce, about 20 kilometers from the border. Poland has been on alert since around 20 Russian drones entered its airspace last September, prompting Polish and NATO jets to shoot down several of them. Preliminary findings suggest that the object found on Saturday is “a drone, likely of military origin, intended for reconnaissance and not equipped with combat capabilities,” Polish military police said in a statement on social media. Unclear origin Polish radio broadcaster RMF FM reported that the object had inscriptions in Cyrillic and may have originated from Russia. The outlet added that, given its limited flight range, it could not have flown from Ukraine. Officials have not yet confirmed the origin of the object. Marta Kabelis, a spokesperson for Bartoszyce police, told Poland’s PAP state news agency that it was “too soon to say” where the device came from. Daniel Brodowski, a spokesman for the District Prosecutor's Office in the nearby city of Olsztyn, said that the “small flying object” found “does not pose a threat to civilians.” “We are not disclosing its country of origin,” he said, adding that the device would be sent for further examination. The object was discovered by a resident who reported it to the police on Saturday morning, according to the PAP news agency.
The town of Bartoszyce is located about 20 kilometers from the border with Russia. Photo PAP/Andrzej Jackowski
