Poland scrambled fighter jets to intercept a Russian Il-20 military aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea near the Polish coast, defense officials said.
Polish Minister of National Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the interception on social media platform X, stating that the aircraft was intercepted 40 kilometres from the Polish coast.
Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed that the Russian plane was operating within neutral airspace in international waters at the time of the encounter.
The operation followed an earlier announcement by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, which reported scrambling fighter aircraft due to military activity by Russia in Ukraine.
Polish defense authorities also placed ground-based air defence systems and radar reconnaissance units on high combat readiness during the military alert.
Airspace security over the Baltic Sea
The Ilyushin Il-20 is a Soviet-era turboprop plane designed for aerial reconnaissance and electronic intelligence gathering. The Russian military uses the aircraft to monitor radar signals, communications, and border activity across Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.
The Baltic Sea area is a key strategic corridor where Russian territory connects mainland Russia with the Kaliningrad exclave. Kaliningrad is heavily fortified and situated between Poland and Lithuania, creating a narrow region of intense military monitoring by NATO alliance members.
Poland shares borders with Russia along Kaliningrad to the north and with Ukraine to the southeast. As a member of NATO, Poland participates in air policing duties and routinely monitors military aircraft operating near its sovereign borders in international airspace.
NATO air commands deploy quick reaction alert aircraft to identify and escort non-NATO planes that fly without flight plans or radio communication. Polish Armed Forces maintain continuous radar coverage across the Baltic coast to track airborne targets and ensure national airspace integrity.
Polish military alert posture
The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces oversees the operational control of army, air force, and naval assets. It is responsible for organizing national defense responses, coordinating joint training, and maintaining readiness during elevated regional security risks.
Ground-based air defence networks in Poland include radar surveillance networks, missile batteries, and early warning units capable of tracking targets across land and maritime borders. These systems remain integrated into NATO combined air operations centers.
