Poland Scrambles Jets Over Russian Helicopter Incursion — SkimNews
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- Poland said a Russian Mi-8 helicopter crossed from Kaliningrad into Polish airspace to a depth of about 300 meters for 42 seconds near Braniewo on Wednesday at 11:08 local time, prompting fighter jets to scramble and ground forces to go on alert.
- The Polish military said the incursion indicates Russia is "once again testing the readiness of our air defence"; Moscow did not comment immediately on the incident, which was tracked by radar.
- PM Donald Tusk said last week Russia was planning drone and missile strikes against Poland and other NATO eastern flank countries, calling the recent Russian hybrid threat "intensified" and aimed at intimidating Europe.
- President Emmanuel Macron said France had been targeted by Russian hybrid attacks in recent weeks and ordered a plan to protect the country's critical infrastructure and defence industry sites.
- Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian drones and one unarmed Russian missile have landed in Poland, with Germany blaming Moscow for August's drone attack on Leipzig airport, an accusation Moscow called "absurd."
- Lithuania's prime minister told the BBC his country had already prepared evacuation plans in the face of Russian threats, but pledged they would "not surrender" if attacked.
Why it matters: Poland's military explicitly framed this as a deliberate Russian test of NATO air defenses, and the response — jets scrambled, ground forces on alert — shows the alliance is treating the provocation operationally rather than dismissing it; Lithuania's evacuation plans confirm NATO's eastern members are now planning for kinetic scenarios, not just hybrid ones.
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