Hunt for suspected spy balloon as mystery object flies into Polish airspace

Warsaw loses radar contact with object that entered its airspace from direction of Belarus

The first spy balloon to spark public awareness of such modern objects was found over the United States (pictured) (Larry Mayer/The Billings Gazette via AP)

A hunt is underway in Poland for a mystery object, believed to be a spy balloon, that was spotted in the sky.

The object entered Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus – but radar contact was lost some 180 miles west of the border, the country’s defence ministry said.

With Russia’s war in Ukraine raging across its border, Nato member Poland is on high alert for infractions of its airspace, and national security is a key issue ahead of a general election later this year.