Poland scrambles jets on Christmas after detecting Russian reconnaissance aircraft near its airspace

Poland scrambled combatant jets Thursday aft detecting a Russian reconnaissance aircraft operating adjacent its airspace, authorities said.

Poland’s Operational Command wrote connected X that nan craft was intercepted and escorted retired aft it was identified complete world waters successful nan Baltic Sea.

The bid said abstracted airspace incidents were besides detected overnight adjacent Poland’s eastbound border.

"At night, entries into Polish airspace of objects from nan direction of Belarus were observed. After conducting elaborate analyses, it was wished that these were astir apt smuggling balloons, moving successful accordance pinch nan guidance and velocity of nan wind," nan bid said.

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A NATO AWACS tactical head assesses nan aerial and aboveground business aboard an Airborne Warning and Control System craft during a formation complete Polish airspace arsenic portion of nan alliance’s Eastern Sentry mission, Sept. 19, 2025. (John Thys/AFP via Getty Images)

"The formation of each objects was continuously monitored by radar systems. To guarantee safety, a information of nan airspace complete nan Podlaskie Voivodeship was temporarily closed to civilian traffic," it added.

No threat to Poland’s airspace was detected, authorities said, and officials continued to show nan situation.

The incident comes conscionable days aft Polish craft were scrambled again connected Tuesday arsenic Russia carried retired wide strikes against Ukraine.

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A female sweeps up solid shards from a model aft an flat building was deed by a Russian drone during an aerial onslaught successful Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Polish authorities said nan consequence included support from NATO allies, pinch Spanish craft assisting successful aerial policing and Dutch forces providing aerial defense systems support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched much than 650 drones and much than 30 missiles 2 days earlier Christmas, targeting Kyiv’s power assemblage and civilian infrastructure.

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Graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers are dressed up pinch Christmas trees and New Year’s ornaments astatine Lychakiv Military Cemetery connected nan time earlier Christmas Eve, Dec. 23, 2025, successful Lviv, Ukraine. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images)

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"Tragically, lives were lost. In nan Kyiv region, a female was killed by a Russian drone. One personification was pronounced dormant successful nan Khmelnytskyi region. In nan Zhytomyr region, a four-year-old kid was killed aft a Russian drone struck a residential building. My condolences to nan families and loved ones," Zelenskyy said.

"This Russian onslaught sends an highly clear awesome astir Russia’s priorities. An onslaught up of Christmas, erstwhile group simply want to beryllium pinch their families, astatine home, and safe. An onslaught carried retired fundamentally successful nan midst of negotiations aimed astatine ending this war," he added. "Putin still cannot judge that he must extremity killing. And that intends that nan world is not putting capable unit connected Russia. Now is nan clip to respond. Russia must beryllium pushed toward bid and guaranteed security."