Polish military forces have launched a search for a mysterious object that entered Polish airspace from Belarus on Friday evening. According to the Ministry of Defence, the object is most likely a surveillance balloon, which disappeared from radars in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship region. The search has been strengthened over the weekend, with more troops from the Territorial Defence Forces being deployed to locate the object.
On Saturday morning, the Ministry of Defence announced the incident, which triggered an immediate response from the Polish military. A hundred soldiers from the Territorial Defence Forces have been searching for the balloon since early morning, and were aided by a helicopter and a drone on Saturday. Two MiG-29 fighters were scrambled, followed by two F16 fighters, after the object was detected by radar on Friday evening.
The object disappeared from radar just after midnight on Saturday, prompting a search for the mysterious object. An RCB alert was issued to the residents of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Pomeranian and West Pomeranian Voivodeships to be on the lookout for the object, and to report it to the police without touching it. The government centre for security, Rządowe Centrum Bezpieczeństwa, tweeted a warning message to report any sightings of the balloon.
While the Polish military is confident that it is a surveillance balloon, its exact purpose and origin are still unknown. The incident has prompted the Polish government to tighten security at its borders and to maintain a high level of alertness to any potential threats to its airspace.
In recent years, there have been growing tensions between Poland and Belarus including a migration crisis on the Polish border caused by Belarusian authorities. The mysterious object has only added to the existing tensions, with the Polish military keeping a close eye on its borders to prevent any potential threats to its security.
The search for the mysterious object is still ongoing, and the Polish military is determined to locate it to establish its origin and purpose. The incident has highlighted the importance of maintaining security and vigilance at all times to ensure the safety of the country and its citizens.