Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russian aircraft spotted near airspace
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Poland activated its warplanes on Thursday after detecting a Russian reconnaissance plane operating near its airspace, officials said.
The Polish Operations Command wrote in X that the aircraft was intercepted and escorted after it was detected in international waters in the Baltic Sea.
Separate airspace incidents were also detected near Poland’s eastern border throughout the night, the command said.
The Command said, “Objects entering Polish airspace from the direction of Belarus were observed at night. After detailed analysis, it was determined that these were most likely smuggling balloons moving according to the direction and speed of the wind.”
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A NATO AWACS tactical director assesses the weather and surface situation aboard an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft during a flight over Polish airspace as part of the alliance’s Eastern Sentinel mission, Sept. 19, 2025. (John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)
“The flight of all objects was constantly monitored by radar systems. To ensure security, part of the airspace over the Podlaskie Voivodeship was temporarily closed to civilian traffic,” the statement said.
No threat to Polish airspace was detected, officials said, and authorities continued to monitor the situation.
The incident comes just days after Polish aircraft were again scrambled on Tuesday as Russia launched large-scale attacks against Ukraine.
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A woman sweeps glass shards from a window after a Russian drone crashed into an apartment building during an airstrike in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)
Polish officials said the response included support from NATO allies, with Spanish aircraft assisting with air policing and Dutch forces providing air defense systems support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted Kiev’s energy sector and civilian infrastructure by launching more than 650 drones and more than 30 missiles two days before Christmas.
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In Lviv, Ukraine, the graves of martyred Ukrainian soldiers at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery, one day before Christmas Eve, December 23, 2025, were decorated with Christmas trees and New Year decorations. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images)
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Zelenskyy said, “Lives were tragically lost. A woman was killed by a Russian UAV in the Kiev region. It was announced that one person died in the Khmelnytskyi region. A four-year-old child died when a Russian UAV crashed into a residential building in the Zhytomyr region. I offer my condolences to their families and loved ones.”
“This Russian attack sends a very clear signal about Russia’s priorities. An attack in the run-up to Christmas, when people want to be home and safe with their families. Essentially, it is an attack in the middle of negotiations aimed at ending this war.” “Putin still cannot accept that he needs to stop killing. This means the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia. Now is the time to respond. Russia must be pushed towards peace and guaranteed security.”
