Warsaw, Poland – Polish military aircraft intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea on Thursday, officials announced. The incident occurred near Polish airspace, prompting a swift response from the Polish Air Force.
According to a statement released by the Polish Army, fighter jets visually identified and escorted the Russian aircraft out of their area of responsibility. The interception took place over international waters in the Baltic Sea, close to the boundary of Polish airspace.
The Polish military also reported detecting objects entering Polish airspace overnight from the direction of Belarus. “Following a detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving according to wind direction and speed,” the statement noted.
As a precautionary measure, a portion of the airspace over the Podlaskie region in northeastern Poland, bordering Belarus, was temporarily closed to civilian air traffic. This closure was implemented to ensure the safety of civilian flights.
The incident highlights the heightened state of alert among NATO member states along the alliance’s eastern flank, including Poland. Concerns about potential airspace violations have been elevated since September, following previous incursions. The increased vigilance comes after three Russian military aircraft violated Estonian airspace for approximately 12 minutes. This followed an incident where more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace.
These events underscore the ongoing tensions in the region and the commitment of NATO allies to monitoring and protecting their airspace.
