Polish authorities say four objects, likely smuggling balloons, intruded into national airspace over the holiday period, prompting President Karol Nawrocki’s office to respond swiftly.
Violation of Polish Airspace: BBN Statement
Four objects detected by Polish services were identified by the National Security Bureau (BBN) as probably smuggling balloons. BBN claims the incursion was a provocation disguised as drug smuggling, citing the large number of violations and the incident’s timing during the festive season. The bureau points to recent similar events in Lithuania and to Russian aircraft activity in the Baltic as evidence.
BBN reported that President Karol Nawrocki was notified in the morning by BBN’s chief, Slavomir Cenckiewicz. The chief remains in contact with Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz and the Minister of National Defense, while the president coordinates with BBN leadership and other state services.
Gratitude to Military and State Services
The BBN statement thanks the command and soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces and other state services for their actions to protect national security during the holiday period.
Vice‑premier and Defense Minister also affirmed that “all provocations, both over the Baltic and at the Belarusian border, were under full control.”
Incidents over Poland
On the night of December 24‑25, Polish services observed objects entering the vicinity of national airspace from Belarus and maintained continuous radar monitoring of their flight. For safety, a part of airspace over the Podlaskie region was temporarily closed.
In international waters of the Baltic, Polish jets intercepted and escorted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft that had approached the Polish airspace borders.