According to the statement, the aircraft was operating without a submitted flight plan and with its transponder switched off. It did not violate Polish airspace.
The military said that such interceptions are not a show of force but a standard measure to maintain control of national airspace.
“Their purpose is the rapid identification of objects that do not respond to air traffic control, operate without the required flight plan or violate applicable rules,” the Command said.
It added that interception procedures allow authorities to quickly determine the nature of a flight, assess any potential threat and, if necessary, take corrective action such as altering the aircraft’s course or directing it to land.
“These actions help reduce the risk of incidents and ensure the safety of both civilian air traffic and critical infrastructure,” the statement said.
Monitoring Russian aviation activity in the region is part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, under which Polish and allied aircraft patrol airspace over the Baltic states and the Baltic Sea, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
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