Polish fighters intercepted a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea

The head of the Ministry of National Defense announced the interception of the Russian plane in a message on The head of the Ministry of National Defense announced another incident on Monday.

"Russia once again tested our deterrence and air defense systems. Before noon, 30 km north of Łeba, our fighters intercepted the Russian IL-20 reconnaissance plane. There was no violation of our space over the Baltic Sea," wrote the deputy prime minister.

Standard Russian practice. The reaction of Polish aviation

Russian planes were intercepted several times over the Baltic Sea earlier, in mid-July. These types of incidents have been occurring with varying regularity for a long time, especially after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The planes intercepted in the area of ​​Ustka and Jastrzębia Góra included Iły-20 reconnaissance planes and Su-30 combat fighters from the base in Królewiec.

Russian reconnaissance planes - and more recently also combat planes - regularly fly over the Baltic Sea with their transponders turned off and without complex flight plans, which makes their remote identification impossible and complicates the work of air traffic control authorities. Experts indicate that flights over the Baltic Sea without flight plans and transponders turned on have become standard practice for Russians in recent years. By flying in this way near the border of NATO countries, they test, among others: their response or air defense systems. Such Russian flights may also cause disruptions to civilian air traffic in the region.

What does intercepting a plane involve?

Intercepting a foreign aircraft over international waters is standard procedure when there is no contact with it. It involves primarily identifying it by fighter pilots using optoelectronic systems and visual contact, possibly establishing contact with it and escorting it outside the area of ​​responsibility of the Polish aviation. Pilots can perform a number of maneuvers for this purpose - approach a foreign plane, show it their weapons or release flares.