Poland deployed jet fighters to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft operating near Polish airspace on Christmas Day. The Russian plane was safely flown away from Poland.
“This morning, in the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter planes intercepted, spotted and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the borders of Polish airspace out of its area of responsibility,” the Polish military said on Thursday.
The Polish statement said that several objects entered Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus on Christmas Eve.
“After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were possibly smuggled balloons moving according to the direction and speed of the wind,” the statement said, adding that a part of northern Poland’s airspace was temporarily closed to civil traffic in the interest of security.
Smuggling balloons from Belarus, often filled with cargoes of black market cigarettes, have also disrupted air traffic in Lithuania. The Belarusian government denies responsibility for the smuggling of these balloons, while the Lithuanians consider it a “hybrid attack” carried out by Russia’s ally to support Russian war efforts in Ukraine.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosyniak-Kamycz commented It was reported on social media that the Polish military had a “busy” evening.
“No threat to the security of the airspace of the Republic of Poland was detected. The situation is being constantly monitored, and forces and resources are constantly ready to ensure the security of Polish airspace,” he said.
As the war in Ukraine escalates, Poland and the rest of NATO’s eastern flank have become alert to violations of Russian airspace. On Tuesday, Polish and allied aircraft were deployed as Russia launched heavy airstrikes in western Ukraine near the Polish border.
“Combat aircraft were deployed, and ground-based air-defense and radar reconnaissance systems were placed on highest readiness. These measures are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing and protecting airspace, especially in areas adjacent to threatened areas,” the Polish military said in a statement on Tuesday.
In September, three Russian MiG-31 warplanes violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland. estonia Said The “unprecedented and brazen intrusion”, which lasted about 12 minutes, was “clear evidence of Russia’s increasing aggression”.
The Russians claimed that their planes were flying in international waters, but Estonia sought advice from both NATO and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Estonia told the UNSC that Russia had violated its airspace on three previous occasions in 2025, as part of a “wider pattern of testing the resolve of Europe and NATO”.
