Poland Conducts Anti-Drone Trials Days after Russian Strike Hits Polish Aid Truck

Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda visited the Central Air Force Training Ground in Ustka on July 7 to witness tests of Poland’s latest anti-drone systems.

The trials come amid escalating threats from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), now central to both military operations and attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Bejda observed multiple counter-drone platforms in action, including systems focused on detection, tracking, jamming, and kinetic neutralization. “These are essential capabilities as drones become tools of modern warfare,” a Ministry spokesperson said.

The visit follows growing international adoption of Polish counter-drone technologies. Lithuania recently procured systems from Advanced Protection Systems featuring radar-guided, camera-equipped interceptor drones designed to disable targets without explosives.

After the tests, Bejda traveled to the 7th Coastal Defense Brigade in Słupsk, where he reviewed the unit’s operational readiness, structure, and equipment. Discussions covered its role in coastal defense and preparedness against emerging threats.

Polish Aid Truck Destroyed in Russian Drone Strike

The visit came just two days after a Polish aid truck was struck by a Russian FPV drone in Kherson, Ukraine. Operated by the Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM), the vehicle was unloading humanitarian supplies when it was hit, damaging the cab and engine. Six people — including two drivers and four aid workers — escaped injury.

The truck, now run by Kherson’s Department of Social Assistance, was delivering firewood collected by residents for winter use.

PCPM veteran Darek Zalewski described Kherson as a “testing ground for drone attacks,” with many elderly civilians still relying on humanitarian aid.

The destroyed vehicle is the second PCPM aid truck lost to drone strikes. In January, a similar attack injured a local driver.

Despite the risk, PCPM continues to distribute supplies and rebuild medical infrastructure in frontline cities like Kherson, Kharkiv, and Poltava — under Poland’s Foreign Ministry-led “Polish Aid” program.