Defence Minister Denies Report Suggesting That He Decided To Halt Search For Missile Debris

Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak denied an Onet source report suggesting that he refused to permit the army to continue searching for the remains of a suspected Russian missile which may have entered Poland's airspace in December after the initial failure to locate the debris.

• "Such a request was never submitted to me. If it was, I would agree," Blaszczak said according to PAP newswire. He added that a special probe revealed that the Operational Commander of the Armed Forces failed to fulfil his duty to inform the authorities that a foreign object violated Polish airspace.
• The past couple of days have seen conflicting reports on the government's reaction to the December incident, after RMF FM found out this week that the projectile was a Russian Ch-55 cruise missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
• Blaszczak emphasises that the Operational Commander breached his duties. He told the media that he will take disciplinary action after consulting with the President, who is formally the supreme commander of the armed forces.