Poland’s military has reported that a Russian aircraft briefly encroached upon its airspace over the Baltic Sea, marking another significant incident in the strategically important area. The violation occurred on Tuesday, involving a Su-24MR aircraft from the Russian Armed Forces, which reportedly entered Polish territorial waters for approximately one minute and twelve seconds, intruding as far as 6.5 kilometers (about four miles) into Polish territory.
The Polish Operational Command revealed the details of the incident via social media platform X, indicating that the aircraft had taken off from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. According to the Polish army, they maintained communication with Russian authorities, who admitted to the airspace violation, attributing the breach to a malfunction in the aircraft’s navigation system.
This airspace incident coincides with heightened security concerns for Poland, which has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently unveiled a robust investment plan aimed at bolstering national security, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the Baltic Sea from potential acts of sabotage and diversion. Tusk remarked on the growing perception of the Baltic Sea as nearly an “internal sea” of NATO nations, reflecting the heightened military presence and vigilance in the region.
In recent months, the Baltic Sea has seen an increase in troubling incidents, including the severing of undersea telecommunications and power cables, raising alarms over potential acts of sabotage. This heightened tension follows earlier events in 2023, when a Russian missile was reported to have traversed Polish airspace amid a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. Furthermore, a prior incident in November 2022 saw a Ukrainian air defense missile mistakenly land in the Polish village of Przewodow, leading to the tragic deaths of two civilians and stirring concerns about NATO’s potential direct involvement in the conflict.
The situation highlights the precarious nature of security in the region, particularly as Poland continues to advocate for enhanced protection measures in response to the ongoing threats posed by Russian military activities and the conflict in Ukraine.
