Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 13, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
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British jets intercepted a Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea after it entered Polish airspace, showcasing NATO's readiness and response.
WARSAW (Reuters) -A Russian aircraft was intercepted over the Baltic Sea by two British fighter jets on Friday after it flew two kilometres inside Polish airspace, the Polish armed forces said on Friday.
The planes intercepted and identified the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft, which then left Polish airspace.
"This is another case of provocative testing of the readiness of NATO countries' systems," the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command wrote on social media platform X.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Western military alliance ramped up its presence along its eastern flank, sending more fighter jets there and setting up ground-based air defences.
The army said a pair of British fighters, stationed in Poland as part of NATO's so-called Air Policing effort, were scrambled before the Polish border was breached. The planes intercepted and identified the plane, and the incident is being analysed by the appropriate NATO commands, the army said.
(Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Karol Badohal; Editing by William Maclean)
The intercepted aircraft was a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.
Two British fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft.
The Polish Armed Forces described the incident as another case of provocative testing of NATO countries' systems.
NATO has ramped up its presence along its eastern flank following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
NATO's Air Policing effort involves stationing fighter jets in member countries to ensure airspace security and readiness.
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