Poland’s Defense Minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced on Thursday that Polish MIG-29 fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea earlier today. A similar incident occurred yesterday, he added during a press conference.
According to the minister, the Russian plane was flying without a flight plan and did not respond to air traffic control signals. Polish aircraft were scrambled as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, which monitors the alliance’s eastern airspace amid increased Russian military activity near the region.
Recent months have seen a rise in such encounters over the Baltic Sea, as Russia continues to test NATO’s air defense readiness. Western officials have repeatedly condemned these maneuvers as provocative and potentially dangerous, warning that they increase the risk of miscalculation.
The Polish Defense Ministry reaffirmed that all NATO procedures were followed and that the Russian aircraft did not enter Polish airspace. The interception was described as “safe and professional.”
