NewsNatoPoland has scrambled two F-16 fighter jets to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying around 40km north of Kolobrzeg over the Baltic Sea, the country's defence minister has said.13:38, 31 Jul 2026Updated 13:59, 31 Jul 2026Two Polish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian military reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, Poland's defence minister has said.‌The aircraft, identified as a Russian Il-20, was intercepted around 40km north of Kołobrzeg after flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponder switched off, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said.‌He said the aircraft did not violate Polish airspace and that the country's armed forces would continue to "monitor the situation" and "firmly respond to the actions of the Russian Federation".‌Writing on X, Mr Kosiniak-Kamysz said: "This morning, a pair of our on-duty F-16s, 40 kilometres north of Kołobrzeg, intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft. Once again, the aircraft was flying in international airspace without a flight plan and with its transponder turned off. There was no violation of our airspace."He added: "The Polish Armed Forces continuously monitor the situation and firmly respond to the actions of the Russian Federation, while maintaining close cooperation with NATO allies. The security of Polish airspace remains our top priority."Article continues belowThe interception comes days after NATO aircraft were scrambled during a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine, when a Russian cruise missile entered Polish airspace. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at the time that the country was prepared to shoot the missile down if it continued its flight, adding that "everything indicates" it was a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage .Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌NatoBreaking News