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By Zeljko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.com
11-03-2022 (updated: 11-03-2022 )
epa09816692 Croatian police gather at the site where a military drone crashed in Zagreb, Croatia, 11 March 2022. The Croatian Defense Ministry confirmed that an unidentified military drone crashed in downtown Zagreb on 11 March. EPA-EFE/ANTONIO BAT
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An unmanned aerial vehicle of military design fell in the Jarun area of southwest Zagreb on Thursday night (10 March), according to the Croatian government, who added that police and military were investigating.
Local media on Friday quoted military aviation experts as saying the device could have been a Soviet-era Tu-141 reconnaissance drone used by Ukraine.
This Tu-141 drone from the Soviet era is what most likely crashed in Zagreb last night. pic.twitter.com/hVL7a4ckk4
— Tomislav Globan (@tgloban) March 11, 2022
However, Markiyan Lubkyivskiy, Ukraine Minister of Defence advisor, told Jutarnji list, EURACTIV’s media partner, that the aircraft that fell in Zagreb is not Ukrainian. In addition, it is believed to have entered Croatian airspace from Hungary.
As soon as the drone was noticed, the relevant structures were notified. After entering the country from Hungary, they identified that it travelled west at a speed of 700 kilometres per hour at the height of 1,300 metres.
A criminal investigation is underway in coordination with the security and defence system. Other measures are being taken, including international cooperation, particularly with the NATO alliance, to determine the circumstances of the incident, a government press release said.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković discussed the incident with President Zoran Milanović and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as well as with the competent government ministers, Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and Croatia’s Ambassador to NATO Mario Nobilo.
“At this moment we do not know exactly whether it was owned by the Russian or Ukrainian army,” Plenković was quoted as saying from Versailles, where he is attending a European Union summit.
The drone entered Croatia’s airspace from Hungary, the prime minister said, referring to Orbánq who told him that before that, the drone entered Hungary from Romania.
All three countries are NATO members.
President Milanović convened an urgent meeting with the chiefs of the Armed Forces and security-intelligence agencies following the incident.
Milanović, after the meeting, stated it was a serious incident under investigation, but that it was not likely a hostile act against Croatia.
“We did not receive any precautionary information, the facility flew over Hungary for over 40 minutes, spent less than seven minutes in Croatia and crashed into the wider area of Jarun. This is a serious incident, an investigation is underway, and we want to determine all details.” Milanovic said, urging citizens to remain calm.
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