Polish jets intercept Russian reconnaissance plane spotted near airspace

After locating suspected smuggling balloons coming from neighboring Belarus, Poland announced that its air force had intercepted a “Russian reconnaissance aircraft” flying close to its airspace.

Polish fighter jets intercepted, identified, and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near Polish airspace from their area of responsibility this morning, according to the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces in a post on X on Thursday.

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Poland’s airspace was temporarily closed in the northeast of the nation as a result of Polish forces’ tracking of unidentified “objects” flying in Poland’s direction the previous night from Belarus.

“After thorough analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons that were moving in the direction and the wind’s speed. Our radar systems kept track of their flight, according to Operational Command.

The post provided no further information about the balloons’ size or number.

Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the country’s defense minister, thanked the “nearly 20 000 of our soldiers who, during the Holidays, watch over our safety,” according to Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on X.

The Polish Army had complete control over all provocations over the Baltic Sea and close to Belarus, he claimed.

Translation: Another busy night for Polish Army’s operational services. All provocations were under control, both over the Baltic Sea and the Belarusian border. I thank nearly 20 000 of our soldiers, who, as can be seen, watch over our safety very carefully during the holidays.

The Reuters news agency’s requests for comment were not immediately addressed by the Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw.

Airport closures have been caused by smuggler balloons from Belarus, which have repeatedly slowed down air traffic in neighboring Lithuania. According to Lithuania, the balloons were sent by smugglers carrying cigarettes, making them a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Belarus has denied having caused the balloons.

Three months prior to Poland’s most recent airstrikes, Poland’s NATO forces shot down more than a dozen Russian drones as they flew over Polish airspace between September 9 and October.

The largest airstrike of its kind to hit Polish territory since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was a success.

The UN Security Council’s emergency session was called in response to the incident to discuss the “blatant violation of the UN Charter principles and the customary law” that Poland, a NATO-member, had called.