Polish fighter jets intercept Russian reconnaissance plane over Baltic Sea for second day in a row

Polish MiG-29 fighters again intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on October 30.

This was reported by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces.

"The aircraft, which appeared in international airspace without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off, was intercepted, identified and escorted out of the area of responsibility. There was no violation of Polish airspace," the message says.

A similar incident occurred the day before. On October 29, a pair of Polish MiG-29 fighter jets also intercepted a Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Violation of Polish airspace

On the night of September 10, Poland shot down Russian drones over its territory for the first time, which violated its airspace during the Russian Federationʼs attack on Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Polish airspace had been violated at least 19 times.

Due to the Russian drone incursion into Poland, NATO has activated Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It provides for consultations if the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any member of the Alliance is threatened.

On the evening of September 19, two Russian fighter jets violated the security zone of the Petrobaltic oil and gas platform, which is part of Polandʼs economic zone, over the Baltic Sea. As early as October 4, Norway announced that it would send F-35 fighter jets to Poland to shoot down Russian drones and aircraft.

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