Polish planes intercept Russian reconnaissance plane spotted near airspace | NATO News

Poland’s defense minister said the Russian planes had been “escorted” out of the area and did not pose an immediate security threat.

Poland said its air force intercepted a “Russian reconnaissance plane” flying near the border of its airspace just hours after it was tracked. suspected contraband balloons coming from neighboring Belarus.

“This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish combat aircraft intercepted, visually identified and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the border of Polish airspace from their area of ​​​​responsibility,” the operational command of the Polish Armed Forces said in a message on X on Thursday.

Polish forces also spotted unknown “objects” flying towards Poland from Belarus during the previous night, prompting Warsaw to temporarily close civilian airspace in the northeast of the country.

“After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely contraband balloons, moving in the direction and speed of the wind. Their flight was constantly monitored by our radar systems,” the operational command said.

The post did not disclose further details about the number or size of the balloons.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on

“All provocations over the Baltic Sea and near the border with Belarus were under the full control of the Polish army,” he said.

Translation: Another busy night for the operational services of the Polish Army. All provocations, both in the Baltic Sea and on the border with Belarus, were completely under control. I thank nearly 20,000 of our military personnel who, during the holiday season, ensure our safety – and as we can see – do so with extreme efficiency.

The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency.

Smuggled balloons from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in neighboring Lithuania, forcing the closure of airports. Lithuania says the balloons are sent by smugglers carrying cigarettes and “constitute a ‘hybrid attack’ by Belarus, a close ally of Russia.” Belarus has denied responsibility for the balloons.

The latest air alerts in Poland came three months after Poland and NATO forces shot down more than a dozen Russian drones as they flew over Polish airspace between September 9 and 10.

This is the largest such incursion into Polish airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Following the incident, NATO member Poland convened an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the “blatant violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter and customary law.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at the time that Russia was testing how quickly NATO countries could respond to threats.