Poland Reports Russian Helicopter Intrusion Into Its Airspace

Thu Sep 24 2026 00:05:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Poland says a Russian Mi‑8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace, prompting a scramble of fighters and heightened alert.

Poland accused a Russian Mi‑8 helicopter of briefly violating its airspace near Braniewo, prompting the scramble of two fighter jets. The helicopter entered from Kaliningrad and lingered 42 seconds at a depth of about 300 metres. Polish air‑defence units were on continuous alert, while ground forces were kept ready. The incident adds to a string of Russian‑suspected hybrid attacks across European NATO members.

Poland Reports Russian Helicopter Intrusion Into Its Airspace

Polish officials say a Russian military Mi‑8 helicopter entered Polish airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on 23rd September. The aircraft crossed the border, reached a depth of about 300 metres, and loitered for 42 seconds north of Braniewo before being tracked by radar.

In response, Poland scrambled two fighter jets and kept ground forces on heightened alert, according to the Polish Army Operational Command. The incident is being framed as a test of Poland’s air‑defence readiness, with Russia’s presence in the region seen as a potential threat to European NATO members.

Moscow has not yet commented on the alleged violation, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia may use drones, missiles and hybrid attacks to pressure NATO states. France’s President Emmanuel Macron has also noted that France has been subjected to similar hybrid threats, vowing a decisive response.

The Mi‑8 is a widely used Russian transport helicopter, and the brief incursion suggests continued Russian interest in probing NATO security protocols. While Russia denies involvement in such hybrid operations, European nations are keeping a watchful eye on the border region.