A Russian Su-24 tactical bomber was intercepted by the Polish Air Force over the Baltic Sea last night, Poland‘s defence minister revealed today.
Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that a pair of Polish jets were scrambled after the joint operational command for NATO forces in Europe issued the order to intercept.
They located the aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic late on Thursday, before intercepting and ‘effectively deterring’ it, he said.
‘The Russian Federation’s Su-24 aircraft was performing dangerous manoueuvres,’ Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
He said such manoueuvres ‘show what the intentions of this action are, that this is not an accidental action, but an intentional action’.
He added that ‘such incidents have already taken place in recent weeks’.
Earlier this week, Poland said a sanctioned Russian ship was performing ‘suspicious manoueuvres’ in the Baltic Sea near the power cable connecting Poland and Sweden.
NATO troops were this week conducting training exercises on the strategic Baltic island of Gotland, itself considered for remilitarisation to face down the perceived Russian threat.
A pair of Polish jets were scrambled after the joint operational command for NATO forces in Europe issued the order to intercept the Russian SU-24 (file pic shows a Russian SU-24M)
FILE PHOTO: A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet takes off during a demonstration flight at the 31st Tactical Air Base in Poznan-Krzesiny, Poland, 10 February 2025
Thursday’s interception came just days after Polish MiG-29s were sent out to meet a ‘Gabon-flagged’ oil tanker in Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet.
The Russian-bound ship is suspected of being used by Moscow to avoid international sanctions, and was sanctioned by Britain earlier this month.
Russia also deployed a Su-35S fighter jet which allegedly violated Estonian airspace as it sought to provide cover for the fleeing tanker, ‘Jaguar’.
In dramatic video, the plane belonging to NATO-member Poland was seen tailing the Russian Su-35 over the Gulf of Finland, which is part of the Baltic Sea.
In separate footage, a Russian voice on the bridge of the tanker accused the Estonians of being ‘clowns’ as they tried and failed to board the vessel.
Russia sparked international concern last year with plans to expand its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea, near its maritime border with Finland and Lithuania.
Russian jets have repeatedly made manoueuvres around the Baltic since the illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
And earlier this month, a Royal Navy warship tracked a Russian submarine and ships passing through the English Channel.
HMS Tyne was deployed as part of a NATO operation to shadow Moscow’s submarine Krasnodar as it travelled back to a Russian Baltic port.
The Navy said HMS Tyne, a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron and RFA Tideforce reported on every move of corvette RFS Boikiy and three merchant vessels – Baltic Leader, Patria and Cebepa.
Satellite images have emerged in recent weeks showing a build up of Russian forces just miles from the Finnish border.
Moscow appears to have been been establishing troop accommodation, aircraft infrastructure and other new facilities at key military bases as tensions rise.
Finland’s Prime Minister and German intelligence are among the European partners who have suggested that Putin is gearing up for a lengthy conflict with the West.
A Finnish government report cited in news outlet Iltalehti in December states that Helsinki considers an attack on Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states to be a possibility.
‘Russia is strengthening its military presence and activities in its northwestern direction in all operational environments as quickly as possible,’ the report warns.
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