Polish military officials reported that a Russian military helicopter from the Baltic Fleet breached Polish airspace on the evening of 25 April, in what appears to be a test of Poland’s air defense capabilities, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.
Military officials confirmed that Polish armed forces radar systems and civilian systems operated by the Polish Air Navigation Agency tracked the Russian aircraft throughout the incident.
The Polish air defense forces and resources reportedly “remained in constant combat readiness to ensure the security of Polish airspace.”
The Polish military characterized the incursion as deliberate, saying that the nature of the incident suggests that “Russia is testing the readiness of our air defense systems.”
This incident followed recent heightened air activity in the region. Swedish Gripen fighters, which have been patrolling NATO airspace from Polish territory since April, were scrambled for the first time due to the presence of a Russian military aircraft.
In a separate incident, Poland launched aircraft on the morning of 24 April in response to a Russian missile attack against Ukraine, following what has become standard procedure in such cases.
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