SRINAGAR: A Russian Mi-8 military helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace near the country’s border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave on Wednesday, prompting the scrambling of fighter aircraft, Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said.
The helicopter crossed into Polish airspace shortly after 11 am local time (0900 GMT) near Braniewo in northern Poland, the command said. It remained inside Polish airspace for 42 seconds and travelled about 300 metres into Polish territory.
Poland responded by deploying fighter aircraft, while ground-based forces and other military assets were placed on standby, according to the Operational Command.
The command said the circumstances of the incident suggested that Russia was testing the readiness of Poland’s air-defence system.
The incident took place close to the border with Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave situated between Poland and Lithuania.
