Russia23 September, 20262 min read
Poland Scrambles Fighters After Russian Mi-8 Violates Airspace Near Braniewo
Mi-8 helicopter from Kaliningrad briefly entered Polish airspace north of Braniewo The intrusion lasted about 42 seconds and reached up to roughly 300 meters depth
Mi-8 Enters Polish Airspace
Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command said a Russian Armed Forces Mi-8 helicopter violated Polish airspace north of Braniewo on September 23, 2026, entering to a maximum depth of about 300 meters and remaining for 42 seconds. Poland said the incursion occurred at 11:08 local time and that Polish military radar systems tracked the helicopter’s flight while fighter aircraft were scrambled and ground-based air defense forces were held at readiness.
The Operational Command said the helicopter flew from Kaliningrad Oblast and that it did not identify the fighter type or say whether the jets reached the area before the helicopter left Polish airspace. The Operational Command said, "The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is once again testing the readiness of our air defense," and Moscow did not comment immediately.
NATO Eastern Flank Tensions
The BBC said Poland’s military said the Mi-8 crossed from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, penetrating Polish airspace to a depth of about 300 metres and staying for 42 seconds north of Braniewo.
The BBC said Poland’s air defence units were operating around the clock ready to "ensure the safety of Polish airspace", and it added that a number of Russian drones and one unarmed Russian missile have landed in Poland since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned, "If Europe attacks Russia, it will be a completely different war [from that in Ukraine], and it will be very short," while the BBC said Moscow denies this kind of threat.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, "The intent is to intimidate us and break our effort to support Ukraine," and he said, "The result will be the exact opposite. We are not intimidated because we know that our security today and tomorrow is at stake in Ukraine."
Readiness, Escalation, and Watch
Poland’s Operational Command said the helicopter’s flight was observed by the radio-location systems of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, and it said fighter aircraft were scrambled while ground-based forces and assets remained on standby. The Operational Command said, "The crews of the Republic of Poland's air defense systems conduct round-the-clock observation, remaining in constant readiness to ensure the safety of Polish airspace," and it described the incident as another test of readiness.
The BBC said Poland and other European Nato members have recently said Russia may be preparing attacks to test their commitment to supporting Ukraine, and it said Moscow denies this. The BBC said French President Emmanuel Macron vowed that Russian hybrid attacks would not be left "without a response" and said he had already ordered a plan to protect France’s critical infrastructure and defence industry sites.