Poland intercepts Russian spy plane over Baltic Sea, defense minister warns of regular NATO tests

Poland intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, according to Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who stated the incident is part of ongoing Russian pressure on NATO's eastern flank. The Russian Ił-20 spy plane was intercepted by Polish fighter jets approximately 40 kilometers from the Polish coast. The minister emphasized these are not isolated incidents, noting Russian aircraft regularly fly over the Baltic with transponders off and no filed flight plans. Poland has implemented temporary airspace restrictions in the east through December 9 to support air defense operations. Earlier this month, Poland conducted joint reconnaissance flights with France and Belgium over the Black Sea to demonstrate NATO's defensive presence.