Poland intercepts russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane. Its transponder was switched off

On April 8, Polish F-16s intercepted a russian Il-20 reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, which was flying with its transponder switched off. The incident occurred without violating Polish airspace.

This was reported by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces on April 9.

"On April 8, 2026, a pair of Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jets on duty successfully intercepted, visually identified and escorted from the area of ​​responsibility of a russian federation's aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea," the statement said.

The military explained that the Polish fighters intercepted a russian Il-20 aircraft that was performing a reconnaissance mission in international airspace without a submitted flight plan and with its transponder (a device that sends a signal in response to a received signal) turned off.

"There was no violation of Polish airspace," the agency emphasized.

The statement also added that the interception of aircraft is not a demonstration of force, but is one of the main tools for ensuring real control over the state's airspace. The goal is to quickly identify objects that do not respond to calls from air traffic control services, move without the required flight plan, or violate applicable regulations.

"Thanks to the interception procedure, it is possible to immediately determine the nature of the flight, assess potential threats, and, if necessary, take corrective measures, such as changing the course or directing the aircraft to land. These actions help limit the risk of incidents and ensure the safety of both civil aviation and critical infrastructure," the military explained.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in March, due to a russian attack on the territory of Ukraine and the fixation of air targets in western Ukrainian regions, Poland intercepted fighter jets and long-range radar detection aircraft.

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