Poland intercepts Russian Il-20 spy plane for 2nd time in a week
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Polish F-16s intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft during a patrol over the Baltic Sea on April 9, marking the second such encounter in a week, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on X.
The aircraft was flying in international airspace without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off, according to the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command.
"The provocative actions of the Russian Federation are testing our air defense systems," Kosiniak-Kamysz said, adding that the Polish forces are ready every day for an "immediate response."
Russian reconnaissance aircraft routinely breach NATO airspace, triggering interceptions by alliance jets.
The previous interception of a Russian reconnaissance aircraft by the Polish military occurred on April 8.
The Russian Il-20, based on the Il-18 transport aircraft, is used for electronic surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with radar and signal intelligence gear designed to collect information on military infrastructure and communication networks.
Officials in Warsaw have repeatedly cautioned that continued Russian aerial provocations risk triggering a dangerous escalation if not decisively addressed.
Russian drones made repeated incursions into Polish airspace in the fall of 2025.
Poland borders Ukraine to the east and stretches along the Baltic Sea to the north, opposite Russia's heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave.
