Poland’s defence minister mentioned Russian plane was ‘escorted’ from space and didn’t pose rapid safety risk.
Revealed On 26 Dec 2025
Poland mentioned its air power intercepted a “Russian reconnaissance plane” flying close to the border of its airspace simply hours after monitoring suspected smuggling balloons coming from the path of neighbouring Belarus.
“This morning, over the worldwide waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually recognized, and escorted a Russian reconnaissance plane flying close to the border of Polish airspace from their space of accountability,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces mentioned in a put up on X on Thursday.
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Polish forces additionally tracked unknown “objects” flying within the path of Poland from Belarus in the course of the earlier night time, prompting Warsaw to briefly shut civilian airspace within the northeast of the nation.
“After detailed evaluation, it was decided that these had been more than likely smuggling balloons, transferring within the path and on the pace of the wind. Their flight was repeatedly monitored by our radar methods,” Operational Command mentioned.
The put up didn’t disclose any additional particulars in regards to the quantity or measurement of the balloons.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz mentioned on X that the incidents didn’t pose a direct risk to Poland’s safety, and he thanked the “practically 20,000 of our troopers who, in the course of the Holidays, watch over our security”.
“All provocations over the Baltic Sea and close to the border with Belarus had been underneath the total management of the Polish Military,” he mentioned.
Translation: One other busy night time for the operational companies of the Polish Military. All provocations, each over the Baltic Sea and over the border with Belarus, had been underneath full management. I thank practically 20,000 of our troopers who, in the course of the Holidays, watch over our security – and as may be seen – accomplish that extraordinarily successfully.
The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw didn’t instantly reply to the Reuters information company’s requests for remark.
Smuggler balloons from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air site visitors in neighbouring Lithuania, forcing airport closures. Lithuania says the balloons are despatched by smugglers transporting cigarettes and represent a “hybrid assault” by Belarus, an in depth ally of Russia. Belarus has denied accountability for the balloons.
The most recent air alerts in Poland got here three months after Poland and NATO forces shot down greater than a dozen Russian drones as they flew over Polish airspace between September 9 and 10.
The occasion was the most important incursion of its variety on Polish airspace since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Following the incident, NATO-member Poland referred to as an emergency session of the United Nations Safety Council to debate the “blatant violation of the UN Constitution ideas and the customary regulation”.
Polish International Minister Radoslaw Sikorski mentioned on the time that Russia was testing how shortly NATO international locations might reply to threats.
