Three independent analysts contacted by BBC have identified images of a largely intact drone discovered in a field near the eastern Polish village of Czosnówka as a Gerbera UAV — a multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle widely used by Russia as a decoy to divert air defense systems during large-scale attacks against Ukraine.
Polish officials confirmed on Wednesday morning that 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace overnight.
Justin Crump, CEO of the intelligence company Sibylline, explained that the Gerbera is “a cheap way to enhance the effectiveness of other drones.” He added that Moscow typically deploys Gerbera drones in combination with Shahed/Geran-2 UAVs when targeting Ukrainian troops and cities.
Meanwhile, Justin Bronk, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told the BBC that the drones remained largely intact because they likely ran out of fuel after traveling a significant distance, rather than being shot down by Polish or NATO air defenses.
Both experts highlighted that the scale of the incursion strongly suggests a deliberate act by Russia.
