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Poland deployed fighter jets on Thursday after detecting a Russian reconnaissance plane operating near its airspace, officials said.
Poland’s operational command wrote on Twitter that the plane was intercepted and evacuated after it was detected in international waters in the Baltic Sea.
Isolated airspace incidents were also reported near Poland’s eastern border overnight, the command said.
“At night, the entry of objects into Polish airspace was observed from the direction of Belarus. After conducting a detailed analysis, it was determined that these were smuggling balloons moving according to the direction and speed of the wind,” the command said.
NATO Secretary General warns that Russia could target alliance members amid rising tensions
A NATO AWACS tactical director assesses air and surface conditions aboard an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft during a flight over Polish airspace as part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission, Sept. 19, 2025. (John Theiss/AFP via Getty Images)
It added, “The flight of all objects was continuously monitored by radar systems. To ensure safety, a part of the airspace over Podlaskie Voivodeship was temporarily closed to civil traffic.”
Officials said no threat to Polish airspace was found and authorities continued to monitor the situation.
The incident comes just days after Polish aircraft were scrambled again on Tuesday as Russia launched widespread strikes against Ukraine.
NATO warns Russia after Poland shoots down ‘large number’ of drones violating its airspace
A woman removes shards of glass from a window after a Russian drone attacked an apartment building during an airstrike in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
Polish officials said the response included support from NATO allies, with Spanish aircraft assisting in air policing and the Dutch military providing air defense systems support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched more than 650 drones and more than 30 missiles targeting Kiev’s energy sector and civilian infrastructure two days before Christmas.
Amid growing intelligence threat assessment, Germany has warned that Russia could attack NATO by 2029.
The graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers are decorated with Christmas trees and New Year ornaments at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery, a day before Christmas Eve in Lviv, Ukraine, December 23, 2025. (Yuri Dychishin/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Tragically, lives were lost. In the Kiev region, a woman was killed by a Russian drone. In the Khmelnytskyi region a man was declared dead. In the Zhytomyr region, a four-year-old child died after a Russian drone struck a residential building. My condolences to the families and loved ones,” Zelensky said.
He said, “This Russian attack sends an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities. An attack before Christmas, when people just want to be at home and safe, with their families. This attack was carried out in the middle of negotiations essentially aimed at ending this war.” “Putin still cannot accept that he must stop the killings. And that means the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia. Now is the time to respond. Russia must be pushed toward guaranteeing peace and security.”
