Russian helicopter intrudes into Polish airspace near Kaliningrad
A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter violated Polish airspace on Tuesday near the border with the Kaliningrad enclave, prompting Warsaw to denounce the incursion on Thursday as a deliberate test of its air defense readiness. The Polish operational command stated the aircraft crossed into Polish territory at a maximum depth of about 300 meters for 42 seconds north of Braniewo. Radar systems tracked the flight, fighter jets were deployed, and ground forces remained on alert. The incident is not isolated, as Russian drones, missiles, and aircraft have repeatedly breached Polish airspace since the war in Ukraine began. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned in mid-September that Russian plans include hybrid drone and missile attacks against Kyiv's European allies.