Russian military helicopter entered Polish airspace briefly, Polish army says

September 23, 2026 8:09 AM EDT

WARSAW, Sept ‌23 (Reuters) - A ​Russian ​military Mi-8 helicopter made a brief incursion ‌into NATO member Poland's airspace from ⁠the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, the ‌Polish Army Operational ‌Command said on Wednesday.

The helicopter spent 42 seconds in Polish ​airspace and entered to a maximum depth of ⁠about 300 metres (328 yards), it said on ​X.

"Fighter aircraft were scrambled, and ground-based forces and assets remained ​on standby. The ‌nature of the incident indicates that Russia is ⁠once again testing the readiness of our air defense," it ⁠said.

Poland is on heightened alert for ​any incursion into its airspace connected with Russia's war in Ukraine.

The Russian ‌embassy in Warsaw did not immediately reply to ‌a Reuters request for ⁠comment on the ‌incident.

(Reporting by ​Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Timothy ‌Heritage)



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