NATO forced to scramble fighter jets to intercept Russian plane again | World | News
A NATO member has again been forced to scramble fighter jets to intercept a Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea as fears over World World 3 skyrocket. A pair of F-16s intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft some 40 kilometers (24 miles) north of Kołobrzeg.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the aircraft was flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponder turned off. He added that there was no violation of their airspace and the country will continue to “monitor the situation” and “firmly respond to the actions of the Russian Federation”.
He wrote on X: “Another Successful Interception of a Russian Aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
“This morning, a pair of our on-duty F-16s, 40 kilometers north of Kołobrzeg, intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.
“Once again, the aircraft was flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponder turned off. There was no violation of our airspace.
“The Polish Armed Forces continuously monitor the situation and firmly respond to the actions of the Russian Federation, while maintaining close cooperation with NATO allies. The security of Polish airspace remains our top priority.”
Earlier this week, NATO once again scrambled fighter jets over Poland after a cruise missile flew into Polish airspace and fell during a large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine.
Footage showed smoke rising from the Lublin region, where a crater was reported after air raid sirens had sounded.
Air raid systems sounded in the eastern Polish city of Lublin, where a crater was reported, and air defense systems were put on alert.
Speaking about the missile incursion, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland “was ready to shoot down the missile if it continued its flight”. He said that “everything indicates that it was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile”.
