Polish Patriot system could have downed Russian missile, ex-intelligence chief says

A former head of Polish military intelligence has questioned why a Russian missile that fell on Polish territory was not intercepted, suggesting a Patriot missile system deployed near Lublin should have been capable of neutralizing the threat. Colonel Andrzej Derlatka stated that the H-101 missile could have been downed while still at high altitude.

Derlatka proposed several potential reasons for the failure to intercept, including legal complexities, as Poland is officially at peace, making the use of weaponry against unidentified flying objects difficult. He recalled that the Polish army had previously shot down a Russian drone, and Romania had done the same days earlier.

However, Derlatka emphasized that the primary issue might be indecisiveness and a lack of preparedness among Polish authorities. "It's about a lack of resolve. Fear of making decisions, fear of consequences. Such a thing cannot be accepted," he stated, adding that military personnel know what needs to be done in such situations.

He also raised the possibility that the Russian action was a deliberate provocation. Derlatka noted that Kraśnik, a town with developing arms factories, is located near the impact site. He speculated that Russia might have intended to express dissatisfaction with the expansion of Poland's defense industry in the area.

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It's about a lack of resolve. Fear of making decisions, fear of consequences. Such a thing cannot be accepted. I think the will is missing on the part of the military, because I know the military, and they know what needs to be done in such a situation. It is, however, a problem of a lack of resolve.