The Polish Armed Forces Operations Command reported that Polish jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea for the third time this week. The military emphasized that the aircraft did not enter Polish airspace but, as in previous incidents, had no registered flight plan and flew with its transponder switched off.

Polish Military Statement

“This marks the third similar incident this week and confirms the increased activity of Russian aviation in the Baltic region,” the command said. On Tuesday, October 28, two Polish MiG-29 fighter jets intercepted a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponder turned off.

NATO on High Alert

In recent weeks, three Russian military jets briefly violated Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, and more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Following these events, NATO’s eastern allies—including Poland, Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania—have heightened their air defense alert levels.

Polish authorities noted that increased Russian aerial activity in the Baltic highlights the importance of maintaining readiness and ensuring international airspace security.