Polish home damaged by missile from F-16, not Russian drone — Rzeczpospolita
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Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:50:00 +0300

Rzeczpospolita reports.The missile, an AIM-120 AMRAAM, was launched to intercept a Russian UAV but suffered a guidance system failure, sources in Poland’s state security services told the paper. The weapon, roughly three meters long and weighing more than 150 kilograms, struck a private home after failing to detonate thanks to safety mechanisms.Local prosecutors have so far referred to the incident as involving an “unidentified flying object.” Lublin regional prosecutor’s office confirmed that 17 drones or their fragments were recovered after the incursion but declined to comment on what exactly fell in Wyryki. “At this point, the object has not been identified either as a drone or its fragments. We are waiting for an expert opinion,” said Agnieszka Kępka, the spokesperson of the Lublin prosecutor's office.The strike caused severe damage to the roof and ceiling of the house. The residents survived, with the homeowner telling local media she left her bedroom moments before metal fragments tore through.Lublin Voivode Krzysztof Komorski told Rzeczpospolita that it is up to military experts to determine the technical details. Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk confirmed three drones were downed during the incident but gave no further details. “It was an AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile from our F-16. During flight, its guidance system malfunctioned, and it failed to operate. Fortunately, the warhead did not explode because the safety mechanisms worked. There was a Russian airstrike, and the Polish side was defending itself,” one source said.According to information obtained by Rzeczpospolita from state security sources, the object that struck the house was a missile from a Polish F-16, fired in an attempt to shoot down a drone.The September 10 incursion was described as unprecedented, with 17 Russian UAVs crossing into Poland. Most were “decoys” and caused no harm, but the Wyryki case marked the first time a Polish interceptor missile was reported to have fallen on civilian property.
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