Poland intercepts Russian reconnaissance plane over Baltic Sea

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A pair of Polish MiG-29 fighter jets intercepted, identified and escorted a Russian military aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea.

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

According to the command, the Il-20 aircraft was performing a reconnaissance mission in international airspace without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off.

At the same time, the plane did not violate Polish airspace, and the operation to escort it was "quick, efficient and safe".

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 declared that it would send F-35 fighter jets to Poland to shoot down Russian drones and aircraft.

Author: Anastasia Zaikova

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