The Polish Air Force scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over international waters of the Baltic Sea. The incident was another aggressive action by Moscow aimed at testing the readiness and identifying the positions of Polish air defense systems, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
The defense minister emphasized that the Russian aircraft was flying with its transponders turned off, creating an additional security threat and requiring an immediate response.
The intercepted Il-20 aircraft, developed on the basis of the Soviet Il-18 transport plane, is specifically designed for electronic intelligence and surveillance missions. It is equipped with advanced radar systems and signals intelligence equipment that allow it to gather detailed information about the military infrastructure and communication networks of a potential adversary. According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish pilots will respond immediately to any such provocation.
The incident occurred just one day after Poland was forced to deploy necessary forces and resources, including combat aircraft, due to a large-scale Russian strike on Ukrainian territory. The attack was primarily directed at western regions of Ukraine located in close proximity to NATO borders.
Alliance countries regularly scramble fighter jets in response to suspicious Russian military activity in the region. Poland has repeatedly sent aircraft into the air during Russian missile and drone attacks near its territory throughout Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
