The services are not disclosing the exact number of objects that arrived from Belarus. We will have to wait until Monday for the number of recovered debris. The Niezalezna.pl portal has learned where the objects came from and when they were spotted by Polish services.
According to the findings of Niezalezna.pl, there were more than 50 flying objects that illegally entered Polish airspace on the night of January 16 to 17. The services are not revealing their exact number, but they confirm our findings.
The Niezalezna.pl portal has learned that the balloons took off from Belarus, from an area close to the Polish border.
“Polish patrols observed the moment they rose into the air,” said Second Lieutenant Konrad Szwed from the Border Guard Headquarters.
So far, it has been established that the police found seven balloons with contraband attached to them – cigarettes without Polish excise stamps – as well as two balloons on their own.
Due to ongoing activities, we did not learn whether the recovered debris included electronic components used to guide them. Operational and reconnaissance activities of the services were cited.
“We are not providing the total number of objects recovered so far because activities are ongoing and the case is developing,” said Junior Warrant Officer Ewelina Lewkowicz from the press team of the Podlaskie Border Guard, on Saturday afternoon. We learned that precise findings will have to wait until Monday.
Not only Podlasie
The County Police Headquarters in Lubartów reported that in Lubartów County possible remains of one of the searched-for balloons were found.
“This morning we received a report that on one of the properties in the Niedźwiada commune a torn piece was found, probably part of the canopy of a smuggling balloon without the lower payload,” we read on social media.
It was added that the site where the object was found has been secured and activities are underway to determine all the circumstances of the incident.
Police appeal for caution
In a statement, the police said that on Friday, January 16, before 9:00 p.m., they received information from the Operational Command of the Armed Forces about “unidentified flying objects (most likely smuggling balloons) that entered Polish airspace from Belarus.”
“Approximate locations in the Podlaskie and Lublin voivodeships were indicated, therefore the information was passed on to the territorially competent police units. Last night, balloon debris together with cigarettes without Polish excise stamps were secured by police officers in Białystok and Sokółka County,” it was added. Later findings showed that seven balloons were found in the area of operation of the Border Guard post in Kuźnica. Debris of the objects was found in the localities of Kraśniany, Woroniany, Machnacz, Smolanka, Słojniki, and Białousy in Sokółka and Białystok counties. One of the balloons with its smuggled contents landed in the center of Białystok. A similar illegal shipment was also found in the village of Wierzchłowiece in Sokółka County. The National Security Bureau reported that President Karol Nawrocki is being kept informed on an ongoing basis about the circumstances and progress of the case.
The police once again repeated their appeal for caution. “Do you see a suspicious package or a balloon with a payload? Do not approach, do not touch it. Call 112,” we read.