Poland scrambled fighter jets on Thursday (Dec 25) to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near its airspace over the Baltic Sea, while also reporting that dozens of objects crossed into Polish airspace overnight from neighbouring Belarus.
The Polish armed forces said the Russian aircraft was intercepted over international waters, visually identified and escorted away from Poland’s area of responsibility, adding that the incident occurred close to the country’s airspace boundary.
The developments come during the Christmas holiday period, with Polish authorities warning the timing and scale of the incidents could point to a deliberate provocation.
POLAND WARNS OF POSSIBLE PROVOCATION
Poland’s National Security Bureau said several dozen objects entered Polish airspace from the Belarusian side overnight, with four identified so far as likely smuggling balloons.
“The mass nature of the violation of Polish airspace, its occurrence during the special holiday season, the assessment of the Russian aircraft’s activity in the Baltic Sea, and the fact that similar incidents have recently occurred in Lithuania, may indicate that this was a provocation disguised as a smuggling operation,” the bureau said in a statement.
Countries on NATO’s eastern flank have been on heightened alert over potential airspace incursions since September, when three Russian military jets violated Estonia’s airspace for about 12 minutes, shortly after more than 20 Russian drones were detected entering Polish airspace.
SMUGGLING BALLOONS AND REGIONAL TENSIONS
Smuggling balloons launched from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in neighbouring Lithuania, at times forcing temporary airport closures in Vilnius.
Lithuanian authorities say the balloons are used by smugglers transporting cigarettes and describe them as part of a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Belarus has denied responsibility.
