The Polish command knew that the Russian missile that flew through the Lublin region would return to Ukraine. Shooting at it would have been risky. This was stated by a representative of the Operational Command of the Armed Forces of the country, Lieutenant Colonel Jacek Goryszewski, quoted by RMF FM.

"Ukraine's air defense has learned that most Russian missiles come from the East or the North, and the defenders least expect an attack from the West. Therefore, the Russian Federation deliberately maneuvers its missiles so that they make a circle and hit targets in Ukraine from the West," the spokesman said.

He also explained that the decision not to shoot down the missile was made by the operational commander of the Armed Forces.

"The decision was made based on information from our radar systems. The assessment of the missile's trajectory, speed and altitude showed that it would leave our airspace," Goryszewski said.

According to him, an attempt to shoot down the missile would have put local residents at risk.

"The missile weighs more than 2 tons, of which 400 kilograms is the combat load. After the missile was shot down, its debris could have fallen on our territory. The remains of the effector used to shoot down the missile would have fallen here as well," the Polish military said.

He emphasized that if the missile had been heading deep into Poland, the decision to shoot it down could have been made with the help of F-16 aircraft on duty.

"It is the operational commander of the Armed Forces who assesses the situation and is authorized to make such a decision. On the other hand, a fighter jet pilot, even if authorized to shoot down such a missile, may not do so if he realizes that its debris could fall on a hospital or school," the spokesman added.