Latest news with #Kosiniak-Kamysz
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polish jets intercept Russian bomber over Baltic Sea after 'dangerous' maneuvers
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on May 22, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said during a press conference on May 23, according to the Polish news outlet RMF24. The incident marks the latest in a series of Russian provocations near NATO territory. According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Russian aircraft posed a threat to regional airspace safety. "These maneuvers performed by the Russian Su-24 show that the actions were dangerous and intentional," the minister said. He added that Polish pilots quickly detected, intercepted, and forced the bomber to withdraw from the area. The encounter took place near the heavily militarized Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave wedged between Poland and Lithuania. Russian aircraft often fly from Kaliningrad without using transponders, failing to file flight plans, and not establishing contact with regional air traffic control — a pattern that NATO officials have long described as high-risk behavior. "We are resistant to provocations, but we react appropriately, individually and collectively," Kosiniak-Kamysz said, referring to NATO's air policing measures. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us The intercepted aircraft, a Soviet-designed Su-24 bomber, is capable of carrying guided bombs and precision missiles and was developed for low-level penetration missions. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has scrambled fighter jets multiple times in response to missile and drone attacks near its border. On several occasions, Russian projectiles have briefly entered Polish airspace, prompting strong protests from Warsaw and increased NATO monitoring in the region. On Feb. 11, a Russian Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft flew into Polish airspace over the Gdansk Bay for over a minute. Moscow blamed a navigational failure, though Polish officials have dismissed similar explanations in the past as implausible. Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine and hosts significant NATO infrastructure, has warned that Russian aerial provocations could trigger escalation if not contained. Read also: Ukraine confirms strike on Russian factory making parts for Iskander ballistic missiles, glide bombs We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland intercepts Russian plane actions of which posed a threat
Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Thursday 22 May. Source: Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said this during a press conference on Friday 23 May, RMF24 quoted, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kosiniak-Kamysz said that on the evening of Thursday 22 May, the Allied Command Operations of NATO forces in Europe ordered another Polish pair of fighter jets to intercept a Russian Su-24 bomber. He said that the Russian aircraft was carrying out dangerous manoeuvres in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. "These actions were deliberate and posed a threat," the minister said. Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that Polish pilots were able to detect, intercept and effectively push back the Russian aircraft. The Polish defence minister also commented on Russia's frequent provocations in the airspace near NATO's borders – especially due to the geographical location of Kaliningrad Oblast, from where Russian aircraft often fly without transponders switched on, without submitting flight plans and without contacting air traffic control. "We are resilient to provocations, but we react decisively, both independently and within the framework of the Alliance," Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed. Background: On 21 May, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that a Russian shadow fleet vessel had made suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland and Sweden. A few days ago, the Estonian Navy attempted to stop the tanker Jaguar, which was passing through international waters in the Gulf of Finland towards the port of Primorsk. The vessel is believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet. According to available information, the tanker's crew refused to comply with the Estonian border guards' instructions, and the vessel left Estonian territorial waters. In response to the actions of Estonian forces, Russia sent a fighter jet, which, according to Estonia, violated the country's airspace. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poland launches military operation after provocations by Russian warplanes over the Baltic
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced the launch of a new military operation to strengthen security and control over the airspace in the Baltic region, given provocations by Russia. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish news agency PAP Details: During the ceremony of conferring general ranks on Friday, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that in response to incidents involving Russian aircraft in the Baltic region, the Polish Armed Forces launched a new operation. The operation, which began this week, has deployed additional planes and helicopters to patrol Polish airspace in the north. PAP, citing unofficial information, says the operation involves, among other things, the transfer of additional military helicopters from different regions to bases in the Baltic Sea region and the border with Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. "This is a response to the threats we're dealing with, in particular incidents involving us or our allies - the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe," the Polish defence minister said. NATO air forces are currently taking part in the ongoing Baltic Air Policing mission, rotating aircraft to protect the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which do not possess their own air forces. Background: In April, Swedish Gripen fighter jets, which began patrolling NATO airspace from Poland, were scrambled for the first time due to the presence of a Russian warplane. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Bloomberg
23-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Poland Doubled Its Defense Budget. Much of the Cash Went Abroad
Earlier this year, Poland's minister of national defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke with his Swedish counterpart Pal Jonson, and the conversation turned to procurement. The Swedes were aware that they sold a lot to Poland, from ships to planes to anti-tank missiles, Kosiniak-Kamysz recalled. They wanted to know what they could buy in return. 'Our flagship product that could be sold is Piorun,' Kosiniak-Kamysz said, referring to a portable anti-aircraft missile launcher, manufactured by Mesko, a subsidiary of the state-owned defense conglomerate Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, or PGZ. But Poland simply doesn't make enough; the single production line making the weapons is at full capacity. 'There is a waiting list for this from many places in Europe,' the minister told Bloomberg.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Poland wants to spend 5% of GDP on defence in 2026, minister says
WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland wants to spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2026, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday after a European Union defence ministers meeting in Warsaw. Galvanised by Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine three years ago, Poland now spends a higher proportion of GDP on defence than any other NATO member, including the United States. It plans for this year's spending to hit 4.7% of GDP. During the summit, ministers discussed a "White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030," aimed at providing a framework for the ReArm Europe Plan and to outline a new defence strategy. "All ministers... emphasized the importance of this document, the White Paper," Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters. "We must be ready for the most difficult scenarios and we must be strong enough to prevent war from breaking out... This is an action to make us so strong that it would not be profitable for any country to attack the European Union or NATO."
