Poland flew fighter jets on Thursday after detecting a Russian reconnaissance plane operating near its airspace, authorities said.
The Polish Operational Command wrote on X that the aircraft was intercepted and escorted after it was identified over international waters in the Baltic Sea.
The command said separate airspace incidents were also detected overnight near Poland’s eastern border.
“At night, objects from the direction of Belarus entered Polish airspace. After conducting detailed analyses, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons, which moved in accordance with the direction and speed of the wind,” the command said.
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A NATO AWACS tactical director assesses the air and surface situation aboard an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft during a flight over Polish airspace as part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission, September 19, 2025. (John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)
“The flight of all objects was continuously monitored by radar systems. To ensure safety, part of the airspace above Podlaskie Voivodeship was temporarily closed to civilian traffic,” it added.
No threat to Polish airspace was detected, authorities said, and officials continued to monitor the situation.
The incident comes just days after Polish planes were scrambled again on Tuesday as Russia launched widespread attacks on Ukraine.
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A woman sweeps shards of glass from a window after an apartment building was hit by a Russian drone during an airstrike in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, December 23, 2025. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
Polish authorities said the response included support from NATO allies, with Spanish aircraft assisting air policing and Dutch forces providing support to air defense systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched more than 650 drones and more than 30 missiles two days before Christmas, targeting Kiev’s energy sector and civilian infrastructure.
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Graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers are decorated with Christmas trees and New Year’s decorations at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery on the day before Christmas Eve, December 23, 2025, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Tragically, lives were lost. In the Kiev region, a woman was killed by a Russian drone. In the Khmelnytskyi region, one person was declared dead. In the Zhytomyr region, a four-year-old child was killed after a Russian drone struck a residential building. My condolences to the families and loved ones,” Zelenskyy said.
“This Russian attack sends an extremely clear message about Russia’s priorities. An attack just before Christmas, when people just want to be with their families, at home and safe. An attack carried out mainly in the middle of negotiations aimed at ending this war,” he added. “Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing. And that means the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia. Now is the time to respond. Russia must be pushed towards peace and guaranteed security.”
