Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea, while separate airspace intrusions involving unidentified aerial objects were detected earlier from the direction of Belarus, according to the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces on December 25.
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The interception took place over international waters of the Baltic Sea, where Polish Air Force fighters conducted a visual identification of the aircraft and escorted it out of Poland’s area of responsibility. The Russian aircraft was flying in proximity to Polish airspace, prompting the response.
Earlier the same night, Polish radar systems detected the entry of unidentified aerial objects into Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus. Air defense radars continuously tracked the objects as they moved across the region.
Following a detailed analysis, specialists concluded that the intrusions were most likely caused by smuggling balloons or weather balloons drifting in accordance with wind direction and speed. As a precautionary measure, parts of the airspace over Poland’s Podlaskie Voivodeship were temporarily closed to civilian air traffic.
Poland’s military command emphasized that there was no direct threat to national airspace security. Specialized services are currently identifying recovered objects and conducting follow-up activities on the ground.
At the same time, Polish authorities noted that military leadership remains in constant contact with allied and partner structures. On-duty forces and assets continue to operate at a heightened state of readiness to respond to any potential challenges.
Polish authorities say such encounters underscore the continued importance of air policing and rapid response along NATO’s eastern flank, particularly in regions bordering the Baltic Sea and Belarus.
Earlier, Poland scrambled fighter jets and raised the readiness of its air defense systems, following a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine.
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