Morąg: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Crashes on Military Unit Grounds

On Monday, 16 February 2026, a small unmanned aerial vehicle was found on the grounds of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion in Morąg. The incident was officially reported on Tuesday by the Military Gendarmerie, which immediately secured the object and began explanatory procedures. According to the press spokesman for the Gendarmerie's commander-in-chief, Col. Paweł Durka, initial inspection revealed that the device is most likely of a civilian nature. This fact is reassuring in the context of a potential sabotage threat; nevertheless, the mere appearance of the object over the military unit constitutes a serious violation of regulations. The investigation focuses on determining the machine's operator and the purpose for which the drone was over the barracks. Polish Aviation Law strictly prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft over closed areas and facilities of defense significance without appropriate permits. Although the incident caused no damage to infrastructure nor disrupted the battalion's operations, the services are approaching the matter rigorously. This situation fits into the broader context of protecting Polish critical infrastructure and the security of the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance. In recent years, Poland has significantly tightened regulations concerning drone flights over military facilities, which is a reaction to the changing nature of contemporary hybrid threats and the necessity to protect defense secrets.It is worth emphasizing that Morąg plays a significant role in the country's defense system, being the stationing location for modern mechanized units. The Military Gendarmerie is currently analyzing surveillance camera footage and technical data from the recovered drone, which may allow for the reconstruction of its flight path. „Initial findings indicate that this object had no military characteristics and caused no damage.” — Col. Paweł Durka Such events require full transparency and a decisive response from law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents in the future. 16 February — date the drone was found on the unit grounds in MorągCourse of the Morąg Incident: 16 February — ; 17 February, 10:30 — ; 17 February, 11:01 —