A Russian helicopter violated Polish airspace

After 1:30 PM, the Armed Forces Operational Command announced on its profile on the X platform that a Russian Mi-8 helicopter had violated Polish airspace. The incident occurred at 11:08 AM north of the town of Braniewo. The flight was conducted from the Kaliningrad Oblast, and the helicopter violated Polish airspace to a depth of approximately 300 metres, remaining within it for 42 seconds.

„The aircraft’s flight was monitored by the radar systems of the Polish Armed Forces. Fighter jets were scrambled, and ground-based forces and assets remained in a state of readiness. The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is once again testing the readiness of our air defence. Polish air defence system crews conduct 24-hour surveillance, remaining in constant readiness to ensure the security of Polish airspace,” reads the communique from the Operational Command.

The violation of Polish airspace by the Russian Mi-8 is another escalatory action carried out by the Russian Federation in recent times. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz reported on the interception of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft (approximately 40 kilometres from the Polish coast) by Polish fighter jets. „Russia regularly tests NATO’s eastern flank. Today, once again over the Baltic,” wrote the head of the Ministry of National Defence.