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Poland‑Russia Il‑20 intercepts

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2026-08-04 22:18 UTC → 2026-08-06 13:46 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In early August 2026 the Polish Air Force intercepted a Russian Il‑20M electronic‑intelligence aircraft repeatedly over the Baltic Sea. The first interception on 2 August occurred about 56 km northwest of Koszalin, followed by two more on 4 August near the same area. Polish officials stressed the aircraft stayed in international airspace, flew without a flight plan or transponder, and that no sovereign Polish airspace was breached. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz described the flights as provocative tests of NATO’s readiness on its eastern flank. A third interception on 4 August, about 56 km north‑east of Koszalin, saw Polish fighters make visual contact and signal the Russian crew to ~~depart.~~ depart, again without entering Polish sovereign airspace. The ministry reiterated that the Il‑20M remained in international airspace and highlighted a recent rise in Russian reconnaissance activity near the Baltic coast, prompting concern among Poland and neighbouring Baltic states. NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum later reported a 250 % surge in rapid‑response fighter scrambles along the alliance’s eastern flank in July 2026, attributing the increase to repeated Russian flights without flight plans or transponders. Polish jets were among those responding, including the interception near Łeba. The same report noted a Russian Kh‑101 cruise missile that crashed in a field near Lublin, which NATO described as a reckless act, underscoring heightened tensions in the region.

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