Russian reconnaissance plane intercepted off Poland in fresh incident

The Polish Air Force has once again intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea, government sources said on Monday.

The Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was flying 30 kilometres north of the seaside resort of Łeba, Poland’s Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X. Polish fighter jets intercepted it there. Polish airspace was not violated.

“Russia has once again put our defence and air defence systems to the test,” Kosiniak-Kamysz added. Three similar incidents involving Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea had already occurred within a few days in late July and early August.

During what is known as an “in-flight interception,” pilots establish visual contact with the opposing crew and signal that their aircraft should move away.

In Poland and the Baltic states, there are fears that Russia, due to its difficulties in the war in Ukraine, could increasingly provoke NATO countries, for example through reconnaissance flights.