Polish defense minister: Fighter jets authorized to shoot down Russian missile only if it threatens populated areas

Published Jul 31, 01:06 PM UTC

Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz defended the military's response after a suspected Russian Kh-101 cruise missile entered Polish airspace and crashed near the Ukrainian border. He stated that fighter pilots were authorized to shoot down the object only if it threatened populated areas, and that both the operational commander and pilot could decide after three warnings. Opposition politicians criticized the government for not neutralizing the object. The minister announced changes to the law to pre-authorize and automate decision-making, while acknowledging that Poland's multi-layered air defence system is still under construction. The incident follows a previous Russian attack in September 2025 when Poland shot down hostile objects and invoked NATO Article 4. Poland has already exceeded the NATO target of 3.5% GDP defence spending.