Former Polish DM: Strike on Lviv region with Oreshnik missile was signal to Warsaw
Russia's strike with a medium-range ballistic missile of the Oreshnik type on a target in the Lviv region, several dozen kilometers from the border with Poland, was a signal to Warsaw.
This was noted in a comment to Ukrinform by former Polish Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz.
"It was more of a signal to Poland. Now they are talking about Rzeszów as a major logistics hub for supporting Ukraine after the ceasefire. Russia has demonstrated that it has the capability to attack such targets in Poland with missiles that are difficult to shoot down," the expert said.
At the same time, he noted that such a show of force will not change Warsaw's approach to supporting Kyiv.
Onyszkiewicz compared this strike by Oreshnik to the Russian drone attack on Polish territory on the night of September 10 last year. He pointed out that in both cases, as now with Oreshnik and then with numerous UAVs that violated the Polish border, there were no combat units, and therefore it was a demonstration and an attempt at intimidation.
“But this did not scare anyone. We just need to continue doing everything necessary (to support Ukraine – ed.),” said the former Polish defense minister, adding that the Polish authorities did not react to this in any way, which is the right position.
As reported by Ukrinform, in a comment to Ukrinform, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Maciej Wewior, commenting on the Oreshnik strike on the Lviv region, said that Poland supported and would continue to support Ukraine in its confrontation with Russian aggression; Moscow must realize that it will not be able to achieve its goals in the war.
As reported, after the meeting of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland would not send its troops to Ukraine, but would play a key role in providing logistical support to Kyiv and the countries operating in Ukraine.
On the night of September 10 last year, the Polish military shot down drones that violated Polish airspace. Initially, it was reported that a total of 19 drones had entered Polish airspace during the night. Three or four drones were shot down by Polish F-16s and Dutch F-35s.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that NATO allies were facing a “large-scale provocation” from Moscow.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had used nearly 1,100 strike drones, more than 890 guided aerial bombs, and more than 50 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week.