Poland closes investigation into 2025 Russian drone incursion, citing inability to identify perpetrators
Polish prosecutors have discontinued the investigation into the September 2025 mass incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, saying those responsible could not be identified. The probe also found no violations in the Polish military's response, though some downed drones contained Polish SIM cards, the origin of which remains classified.
Key points
- The District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin announced the investigation's closure; spokesperson prosecutor Marcin Kozak said the perpetrator could not be identified.
- The crime under investigation was defined as a violation of Polish airspace that created a threat to general security.
- The investigation found no violations in the Polish military's response, concluding soldiers acted correctly and had the right to use combat means against the hostile objects.
- Some of the downed drones contained Polish SIM cards; investigators did not disclose whether the cards were stolen or acquired illegally, citing secrecy.
- Most case materials, including the reasoning behind the closure, are classified as secret.
- The investigation was conducted by the military prosecutor's office over many months.
- On the night of 10 September 2025, approximately two dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace, with debris found up to nearly 300 km from the eastern border; from 13 September, NATO deployed the 'Eastern Sentry' mission in Poland in response.
Why it matters
The closure means that no one will be held legally accountable in Poland for a major Russian drone incursion into NATO territory. The discovery of Polish SIM cards inside downed drones leaves open — but now classified — questions about whether the attack was facilitated from within Poland. At the same time, the investigation explicitly cleared the Polish military of any wrongdoing, validating the decision to engage the hostile objects with weapons. The incident itself triggered NATO's new 'Eastern Sentry' mission in Poland, with direct implications for alliance deterrence on the eastern flank.
What happened
The District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin announced the discontinuation of the investigation into the mass incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace in September 2025. Spokesperson prosecutor Marcin Kozak said the investigation was halted because the perpetrator could not be identified. The crime under investigation had been defined as a violation of Polish airspace that created a threat to general security. The military prosecutor's office had spent many months attempting to determine who personally bore responsibility for the attack. A separate review of the Polish military's response was also discontinued; it found no violations and concluded that soldiers had acted correctly and in accordance with current procedures, with the right to use combat means to shoot down the hostile objects. Most case materials, including the reasoning behind the decision, are classified as secret. Investigators additionally found that some of the downed drones contained Polish SIM cards, but did not disclose whether those cards were stolen or acquired illegally.
Where reporting differs
Sources report inconsistent numbers of drones that entered Polish airspace on 10 September 2025: most Ukrainian outlets cite approximately two dozen or specifically 21, while another account reports more than 30. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 27 September that 92 Russian drones had been heading toward Poland that day, of which Ukraine shot some down over its own territory, but 19 reached Poland. The cause of damage to a residential building in Lublin Voivodeship during the incident is also disputed: early accounts attributed it to a drone strike, but later media reports suggested the damage may have been caused by a missile from a Polish F-16.
Background
On the night of 10 September 2025, Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, with debris found in various districts up to nearly 300 km from the eastern border. Polish and European authorities accused Russia of a deliberate, coordinated attack and rejected claims of Ukrainian involvement. Polish authorities refined on 12 September that the attack involved 21 drones, four of which were shot down — the first time weapons were fired from Polish aircraft against drones. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said the drones had the technical capability to carry munitions but were unarmed. A drone reportedly struck a residential building in Lublin Voivodeship, though later media reports suggested the damage may have been caused by a missile from a Polish F-16. On 13 September 2025, NATO deployed the new 'Eastern Sentry' mission in Poland in response to the incursion.