Russia testing NATO again? Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace briefly – What happened?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Russia testing NATO again? Mi-8 helicopter breaches Polish airspace briefly – What happened?")
Russian Mil Mi-8 military helicopter Photograph: (AFP)
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace near Braniewo, prompting fighter jets to scramble and ground forces to remain alert amid rising NATO concerns over Russian threats.
Poland on Wednesday (Sep 23) said that a Russian military helicopter briefly violated its airspace. It added that in response, NATO fighter jets were scrambled, while ground forces remained on alert. Polish Army Operational Command said that the Mi-8 aircraft entered the Polish airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and stayed for 42 seconds. It penetrated the country’s airspace to a depth of about 300 metres (328 yards).
In a statement, the Polish military said, “Fighter aircraft were scrambled, and ground-based forces and assets remained on standby.”
It further added, “The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is once again testing the readiness of our air defense.”
Poland said the Mi-8 helicopter crossed into Polish airspace north of the town of Braniewo at around 11:08 am local time. Polish radar systems tracked its movement throughout the incident.
The incident comes as Poland remains on heightened alert over potential spillover from Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Poland and other NATO members have increasingly warned about possible Russian attempts to test the alliance’s response, while Moscow has repeatedly denied plans to attack NATO countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia does not intend to attack NATO states. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, has accused European countries of preparing for conflict and warned that any European attack on Russia would lead to “a completely different war [from that in Ukraine], and it will be very short.”
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Growing concern over hybrid threats
The helicopter incident comes against a backdrop of repeated airspace and security incidents involving NATO’s eastern flank.
Poland has previously reported Russian drones and a missile entering its territory since the invasion of Ukraine. Warsaw has also raised concerns over possible drone and missile strikes and other forms of pressure aimed at countries supporting Kyiv.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently said the “Russian hybrid threat against Europeans” had intensified, arguing that the objective was to intimidate countries supporting Ukraine.
Hybrid attacks can include cyberattacks, sabotage and disinformation rather than conventional military action. Several European countries have recently accused Russia of involvement in such incidents, allegations Moscow has rejected.
The latest helicopter incursion adds another test for Poland as it continues to monitor activity along its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and the wider NATO eastern flank.
