Poland deports Ukrainian for flying drone over central Warsaw, imposes 5-year entry ban, media reports
A 21-year-old Ukrainian has been deported from Poland and banned from entering the Schengen area for five years after flying a drone without authorization over central Warsaw, Polish outlet RMF FM reported on Sept. 17.
The drone, whose model was not disclosed, flew over several sensitive sites, including government buildings and the presidential residence, on the evening of Sept. 15. It was detected and brought down by police.
The Ukrainian national was detained at the scene along with a 17-year-old Belarusian girl. She was questioned as a witness and later released, according to RMF FM.
The man was fined 4,000 zlotys ($1,115) and will be escorted to a border checkpoint for removal to Ukraine.
Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) examined the Ukrainian citizen’s mobile devices to determine whether there was any link to espionage. Authorities found no evidence of contact with foreign intelligence services.
The drone incident in central Warsaw came shortly after Russian drones reportedly violated Polish airspace in an attempted strike on the Rzeszow airport, a critical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine.
While Russian drones and missiles have repeatedly crossed into NATO territory during strikes on Ukraine, Sept. 10 was the first confirmed instance of Polish defenses shooting them down.
Moscow denied any involvement, with the Russian Defense Ministry saying it had "not planned to hit" targets in Poland, while Russia's charge d'affaires in Warsaw dismissed the allegations.
