Polish military says Russian Mi-8 briefly violated its airspace; fighters scrambled

Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command said on X that a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace on Wednesday from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. It recorded the helicopter inside Polish airspace for 42 seconds, to a maximum depth of about 300 metres.

The command said fighter aircraft were scrambled and ground forces and air-defence assets remained on standby. It assessed that the nature of the incident indicated Russia may again be testing Polish air-defence readiness.

Poland is a NATO member and remains on heightened alert for incursions linked to Russia's war in Ukraine. No exchange of fire, casualties or property damage was reported, and the Polish military did not say the helicopter attacked any target.

Russia's embassy in Warsaw had not responded to Reuters by publication time. N Globe therefore does not make a definitive claim about the pilot's intent; the 'testing readiness' assessment is Poland's view, not an acknowledged Russian purpose.

Verification status: confirmed by the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command. News value: A. Origin: Poland, Europe. Primary section: War/military and security. Related regions: Europe and worldwide. Source time: September 23, 2026, 12:07 UTC. Report time: September 23, 2026, 13:37 UTC. N Globe editorial illustration.