 "Poland intercepts Russian reconnaissance plane spotted near its airspace after detecting smuggler balloons")
Amid the brewing tensions, Poland said that its air force intercepted a “Russian reconnaissance aircraft” flying near the border of its airspace. The incident took place just hours after the authorities tracked suspected smuggling balloons coming from the direction of neighbouring Belarus.
“This morning, over the international waters of the Baltic Sea, Polish fighter jets intercepted, visually identified, and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near the border of Polish airspace from their area of responsibility,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said in a post on X on Thursday.
Kolejna pracowita noc dla służb operacyjnych Wojska Polskiego. Wszystkie prowokacje, zarówno nad Bałtykiem jak i nad granicą z Białorusią były pod pełną kontrolą. Dziękuję prawie 20-stu tysiącom naszych żołnierzy, którzy w czasie Świąt czuwają nad naszym bezpieczeństwem – i jak… pic.twitter.com/gv0hhBgIaD
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) December 25, 2025
Police forces also tracked unknown “objects” flying in the direction of Poland from Belarus during the previous night, prompting Warsaw to temporarily close civilian airspace in the northeast of the country. “After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, moving in the direction and at the speed of the wind. Their flight was continuously monitored by our radar systems,” Operational Command said. The post did not disclose any further details about the number or size of the balloons.
‘No immediate threat’
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on X that the incidents did not pose an immediate threat to Poland’s security, and he thanked the “nearly 20,000 of our soldiers who, during the Holidays, watch over our safety”
“All provocations over the Baltic Sea and near the border with Belarus were under the full control of the Polish Army,” he said. The Belarusian and Russian embassies in Warsaw did not immediately respond to the Reuters requests for comments.
Quick Reads
View AllIt is pertinent to note that the smuggler balloons from Belarus have repeatedly disrupted air traffic in neighbouring Lithuania, forcing airport closures. Lithuania said that the balloons were sent by smugglers transporting cigarettes and constitute a “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a close ally of Russia. However, Belarus has denied responsibility for the balloons.
The latest air defence alert in Poland came just three months after Poland and NATO forces shot down more than a dozen Russian drones as they flew over Polish airspace between September 9 and 10.
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