Polish jets intercept Russian reconnaissance plane over Baltic Sea
Two Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, the Polish Armed Forces said.
According to the military’s Operational Command, the Russian plane was operating in international airspace but had no filed flight plan and its transponder switched off — a move often considered unsafe for civilian and military aviation alike, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The Polish MiG-29 fighters escorted the aircraft out of the area of responsibility. The army emphasized that Polish airspace was not violated during the incident.
“Protecting Polish airspace is not only a duty but a daily mission of our soldiers, who safeguard our country’s security with full commitment,” the Polish Armed Forces said in a statement on X.
The Ilyushin Il-20, a Soviet-era aircraft still used by Russia for electronic reconnaissance, has been involved in several similar encounters across NATO’s eastern flank in recent months.
NATO allies frequently scramble jets in response to Russian military flights near their borders. Earlier this year, Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania all reported Russian drones or aircraft briefly entering their airspace, prompting diplomatic protests and calls for tougher deterrence measures.
The latest interception adds to growing tensions between NATO and Moscow, as European defense officials warn of increasingly aggressive Russian aerial activity in the region.
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