Official: Poland weighs shooting down Russian missiles near border

Several of the first batch of HIMARS rocket launchers purchased from the U.S. on display at the First Transport Aviation Base in Warsaw, Poland, on May 15, 2023. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Poland is considering whether to involve its air defenses in shooting down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory, Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pawel Wronski told Ukrinform on May 22.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Reuters on May 20 that Western allies, including Poland, could intervene more directly in Ukraine's defense by shooting down Russian missiles.

Wronski responded to Zelensky's statement in comments to Ukrinform, saying that the Polish government is discussing the technical and legal aspects of such a move.

"This issue is being considered from a legal and technical point of view, but there are no decisions in this matter," Wronski said.

Wronski said that Ukraine had approached Poland to propose the air defense initiative.

A Russian missile entered Polish airspace during a massive aerial attack launched against Ukraine on March 24. The missile remained in Polish air for 39 seconds. According to Wronski, the Polish government has been discussing the legal ramifications of shooting down Russian missiles since this incident.

Wronski clarified that Poland is not considering transferring any of its air defense units to Ukraine.

"There is no discussion of this in Poland at all. There is no possibility of the Polish air defence system being outside the country's borders," he said.