Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Friday, marking the third such incident in a week amid growing concern over intensified Russian air activity near NATO’s eastern borders.
According to the Operational Command of the Polish Army, the Russian aircraft did not enter Polish airspace but was detected flying without a filed flight plan and with its transponders switched off — a practice that raises flight safety and security concerns.
“This is already the third such situation this week, confirming the increasing activity of Russian aviation in the Baltic region,” the Polish Army said in a statement.
The intercepted plane, believed to be conducting intelligence-gathering operations, was closely monitored as Polish Air Force jets scrambled under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, which ensures collective defense and airspace protection for the alliance’s eastern members.
The repeated encounters highlight a surge in Russian military operations across the Baltic region, coming weeks after a series of airspace violations heightened regional tensions. In September, three Russian military jets breached Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes — one of the most serious incidents in years — just days after more than 20 Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace.
NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus, including Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, have since been on heightened alert. Warsaw has also reinforced its air defense systems and stepped up coordination with allied forces stationed in the region.
The Polish Defense Ministry has warned that Moscow’s recent aerial maneuvers appear aimed at testing NATO’s response readiness and probing the alliance’s defenses along its eastern flank.
“These incidents underscore the importance of maintaining robust air defense capabilities and constant vigilance,” a Polish defense official said on condition of anonymity, citing ongoing intelligence assessments.
The Baltic region has become an increasingly active front for military surveillance and deterrence operations since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO has routinely intercepted Russian aircraft flying close to allied airspace without identifying themselves, often labeling such behavior as “unsafe and unprofessional.”
As tensions persist, NATO allies have vowed to maintain a strong defensive posture across the Baltic and reinforce deterrence measures against any potential provocations by Moscow.
