Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, marking the second such incident involving a Russian military aircraft in two days.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a pair of Polish aircraft intercepted a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance plane during the morning.
The Russian aircraft was intercepted about 56 kilometres (35 miles) northwest of Koszalin, the minister said in a post on X.
Polish Defence Ministry spokesman Janusz Sejmej said the Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter Polish territory, according to TVP World.
The incident nevertheless prompted renewed concern in Warsaw over Russian military activity near NATO territory.
“Russia is once again conducting activities of a provocative nature near the borders of NATO member states, testing the vigilance and readiness of the alliance’s defense systems,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
The latest interception came just one day after Polish F-16 fighter jets intercepted another Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
The repeated incidents highlight the heightened level of surveillance and air defence activity along NATO’s eastern flank as tensions between Russia and the military alliance remain high.
Poland, a NATO member bordering Russia’s Kaliningrad region, has repeatedly warned about potential security risks linked to Russian military activity in the Baltic region.
Although neither of the latest Russian aircraft reportedly entered Polish sovereign airspace, the flights have prompted Polish forces to scramble fighter jets and monitor the aircraft closely.