Key facts
- A Russian military Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace from Kaliningrad.
- The helicopter was in Polish airspace for 42 seconds.
- The incursion reached a maximum depth of about 300 metres.
- Poland scrambled fighter aircraft and put ground forces on standby.
- Poland's Army Operational Command stated the incident tests air defense readiness.
A Russian military Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered NATO member Poland's airspace from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on Wednesday, according to the Polish Army Operational Command. The helicopter spent 42 seconds inside Polish territory, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 300 metres.
In response, Poland scrambled fighter aircraft and kept ground-based forces and assets on standby. The Army Operational Command indicated that the incident suggests Russia is testing Poland's air defense readiness. Poland has been on heightened alert for airspace incursions due to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.