The field near Osieka
Marta Kabelis, spokesperson for the district police in Bartoszyce, confirmed to Polsat News that the report came from an anonymous witness. Rafał Jackowski, spokesperson for the regional police in Olsztyn, stated regarding the situation on site: "The entire area was secured so that no one could approach the object." Three separate structures are involved on site: the district police in Bartoszyce together with the regional police in Olsztyn, the Military Gendarmerie, and the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Olsztyn — specifically its VIII Department for Military Affairs. Polsat News ↗Lieutenant Colonel Dariusz Rozkosz, spokesperson for the Main Command of the Military Gendarmerie, confirmed to Polsat News that the unit had taken over coordination on site. The involvement of the Military Gendarmerie and the military department of the prosecutor's office shows that authorities are treating the find from the outset as a possible military incident, not as an ordinary civilian discovery. Polsat News ↗
"It could not have flown in from Ukraine"
RMF24, citing local sources, reported that the device is a "larger specialized drone" intended for observation, without combat capabilities, but equipped with a camera and professional equipment. Investigators unofficially estimate that, given the limited range of the type in question, a flight from Ukraine is unlikely. The working hypothesis is entry from the Kaliningrad enclave. RMF24 ↗The town of Bartoszyce lies about 55 kilometers south of Kaliningrad, but the nearest border crossing, Bezledy–Bagrationovsk, lies within Bartoszyce commune — from there it is only a few kilometers to Osieka. At this distance, a Kaliningrad trajectory is technically possible for several Russian reconnaissance drone systems, but at the time of publication Polish authorities had not disclosed the type of the device or its operator. Európska pravda ↗
Third signal on the eastern flank in four days
The inclusion of Bartoszyce on the hybrid map comes in a week when Polish and Baltic authorities are registering further events on NATO's eastern flank. AP ↗On Tuesday, May 6, the Polish counterintelligence agency ABW published a report explicitly naming Russian operations in Europe an "undeclared war against the West." In 2024 and 2025, it opened 69 espionage investigations — as many as in the entire period since 1991 combined. Sixty-two people were arrested. The report states that Moscow has moved from one-off agents to "complex sabotage cells" linked to organized crime networks. AP ↗
On Thursday, May 7, shortly before three in the morning, two drones came down near Rēzekne in Latvia, one of them striking an oil depot. Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds admitted on Thursday morning that the devices were "probably Ukrainian" — launched by Ukraine at targets in Russia, but deflected from their trajectory by Russian electronic jamming. On Friday, May 8, Sprūds officially confirmed this version. Reuters/Asharq Al-Awsat ↗ Defense News ↗
Saturday's Polish case differs from the Latvian one. According to Sprūds, the Latvian drones probably lost their course while flying toward Russian targets. These were therefore Ukrainian devices with a Ukrainian target that ended up over NATO territory after their route was deflected. The device near Bartoszyce bears Cyrillic inscriptions, its range, according to unofficial information, does not allow for a flight from Ukraine, and it is equipped with an observation camera. Investigators are unofficially working with the hypothesis of a Kaliningrad trajectory.
Read also: Two days before Putin's parade: drones near Rēzekne, ABW uncovers sabotage cells, Mentzen attacks the army chief
Not the first Polish case
For Poland, the incident is not without precedent. In November 2025, the country experienced what Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an "unprecedented act of sabotage": an explosion on the railway line between Warsaw and Lublin, which was used to move aid to Ukraine. Polish prosecutors charged two Ukrainians working in Russian service; the investigation continues. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned at the time that the response "would not be merely diplomatic." AP ↗In December 2025, during a Russian missile attack on Ukraine, Polish command activated fighter jets, and in April 2026 Polish prosecutors filed charges over a series of arsons of shops that, according to investigators, were commissioned by the Russian side through intermediaries. AP ↗
General Wiesław Kukuła, chief of the General Staff of the Polish Army, spoke of a "pre-war state" in an interview for Rzeczpospolita back in November 2025. This week, Sławomir Mentzen, leader of the right-wing Confederation, called him "abnormal" at a campaign rally — a statement that drew defense of the general not only from the governing camp but also from President Karol Nawrocki, who was brought to office by the opposition PiS party. Defence24 ↗
What hotinfo is monitoring
- Official attribution of the Polish drone — statements from Prime Minister Tusk, Foreign Minister Sikorski, and Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński. As of the time of publication of this text (16:30 CEST), the central government had not publicly commented on the incident.
- Recovery and forensic analysis of the device — technical designation, serial numbers, manufacturer, Russian or Belarusian operational markings.
- NATO's response — whether Warsaw will request consultations under Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. During the missile incident in Przewodów in November 2022, Poland considered Article 4 but did not formally invoke it.
- May 9–10 in the Baltics — whether Saturday's and Sunday's hours will bring further hybrid episodes synchronized with the Moscow parade.
- Origin of the Cyrillic inscriptions — whether this is the standard marking of a mass-produced Russian reconnaissance drone (Orlan-10, Forpost, Supercam) or a modification for a specific mission.
- Extension of Trump's three-day truce — if Moscow does not acknowledge Saturday's incidents on NATO territory as its own, this will provide an argument for those who see the truce merely as cover for preparing further strikes in the Baltics and Poland.
