2 Belarusians detained after drone 'neutralized' in Poland's capital

WARSAW

Two Belarusians were detained after a drone appeared over government buildings in the Polish capital of Warsaw, and the unmanned aerial vehicle was neutralized by the State Protection Service (SOP), Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Monday evening.

"The SOP has just neutralized a drone flying over government buildings (on Parkowa Street) and the Belweder Palace. Two Belarusians have been detained. The police are investigating the circumstances of the incident," Tusk wrote on the US social media company X.

Karolina Gałecka, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, confirmed the information during an interview with news site Interia.

Colonel Boguslaw Piorkowski, spokesman for the Commander of the State Protection Service, also confirmed to Onet that the incident reported by the prime minister took place "recently."

He said SOP officers on duty at the Belweder Palace observed a flying object over the building and took action, resulting in the arrest of two Belarusian citizens. The details of the incident are being investigated, and the police are handling the case, he added.

Russian drones repeatedly violated Polish airspace overnight on September 9-10. Those posing a direct threat were shot down by Polish and allied planes.

Meanwhile, as of Thursday, all border crossings with Belarus had been closed until further notice due to the ongoing Russian-Belarusian "Zapad-2025" joint military exercises, which began on Friday and will conclude in Belarus on Tuesday.

Piorkowski told Polsat News TV that there was no threat to facilities. "Our officers saw the drone and alerted the commander. A patrol was dispatched and caught the drone operators 'red-handed,'" the colonel said.