Russian helicopter crosses into Polish airspace near Braniewo

dagbladet.no (Swedish) — September 23, 2026 at 02:01 PM UTC

A Russian MI-8 helicopter violated Polish airspace on Wednesday, crossing approximately 300 meters into Poland near Braniewo for 42 seconds. The aircraft originated from Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and was detected by Polish radar systems. Polish fighter jets were scrambled and ground forces placed on alert in response. Poland's operational command stated the incident suggests Russia is again testing the readiness of its air defense forces. The violation follows warnings from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European intelligence chiefs about potential Russian escalation. It also comes after recent incidents involving Russian naval vessels and submarines near NATO territory.

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