Latest news with #WladyslawKosiniak-Kamysz
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Scrambles Jets Over 'Dangerous' Russian Bomber Maneuvers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Two NATO members have accused Russia of provocation along the alliance's eastern flank. Poland said on Thursday that its fighter jets had intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber that performed "dangerous" maneuvers in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. The next day, Finland said it was investigating whether Russian aircraft had breached the NATO member's airspace. Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment. Polish Air Force F-16 fighters take part in a NATO exercise on July 4, 2023. Polish Air Force F-16 fighters take part in a NATO exercise on July 4, It Matters Alliance members bordering the Baltic, which has been dubbed a "NATO Lake," have accused Moscow of high-risk behavior around its airspace. The latest accusations raise fears of miscalculation and test the alliance's Article 5 mutual defense clause. What To Know Polish defense minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Thursday Warsaw's fighter jets intercepted a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. He called the Russian actions "dangerous and intentional" and said that Polish pilots detected, intercepted, and forced the bomber to withdraw from the area. The encounter took place between Poland and Lithuania near Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave from where Moscow's military aircraft frequently fly. Russian pilots often disable their transponders, do not file flight plans, and do not notify regional air traffic control, which NATO officials have described as high-risk behavior. On Friday, Finnish defense minister Antti Häkkänen said that two Russian military aircraft are suspected of violating Finnish airspace off the coast of Porvoo. Häkkänen said the Finnish Border Guard is investigating the incident and without providing any more details, added, "we take the suspected territorial violation seriously." Finland shares an 800-mile border with Russia and joined NATO in 2023 following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The alliance has raised the alarm over an increasing number of incidents inside or near its airspace. Estonia said that a Russian military jet violated its airspace on May 13 after the Estonian Navy tried to stop the tanker Jaguar, believed to be in Moscow's shadow fleet that circumvents oil sanctions. What People Are Saying Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen: "We take the suspected territorial violation seriously and an investigation is underway." Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz: "Maneuvers performed by the Russian Su-24…were dangerous and intentional." What Happens Next Adding to NATO concerns is the latest warning of a Russian military buildup next to the border of Finland. Finnish defense forces' head of strategy Major General Sami Nurmi said Thursday that Russia's military had started "moderate preparations" on infrastructure close to the Finnish border. Finnish military analyst Emil Kastehelmi told Newsweek this month that Helsinki is investing significantly more in defense to deal with the potential threat. "Continuous development and preparation work is underway, which boosts the deterrence of Finland and the whole northeastern flank of NATO," he added.
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.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Poland intervenes as Russian ‘shadow fleet' ship spotted near power cable
WARSAW: Poland's military intervened after a ship from the Russian 'shadow fleet' was seen performing suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, the Polish Prime Minister said on Wednesday. NATO has stepped up security in the Baltic following a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'A Russian ship from the 'shadow fleet' covered by sanctions performed suspicious maneuvers near the power cable connecting Poland with Sweden,' Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X. 'After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports.' The term 'shadow fleet' refers to vessels used by Russia to ship oil, arms and grains in violation of international sanctions imposed after the invasion. Speaking later to reporters, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a patrol flight scared the ship off and Polish Navy Polish Navy's ORP Heweliusz was sailing to the scene. Vice Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski, Poland's Maritime Component Commander, told Reuters that the tanker in question was called Sun and that it sailed under the Antigua flag. The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. In the past, Moscow has denied its involvement in undersea sabotage in the Baltic, saying the West was using such claims to curb its sea-borne oil exports. The 600-megawatt undersea cable links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn with Ustka in northern Poland and allows both grids to rely on cross-border supplies when electricity is cheaper in the other system. A spokesperson for Polish grid operator PSE said the cable was working. PSE data showed over 600 megawatts were flowing to Sweden through the cable at 1130 GMT. 'This shows how dangerous the times we live in are, how serious the situation in the Baltic Sea is,' Kosiniak-Kamysz told a news conference. 'Since Sweden and Finland joined the North Atlantic Alliance, the Baltic Sea has become a key marine area, where the largest number of incidents occur, the most common incidents related to cable breaks... and sabotage.' He vowed a 'firm response' from Poland and NATO to any attack on Baltic Sea infrastructure.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Poland acts after Russian ship seen near undersea power cable
WARSAW: Poland's military intervened after a ship from the Russian 'shadow fleet' was seen performing suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, the Polish Prime Minister said on Wednesday. NATO has stepped up security in the Baltic following a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'A Russian ship from the 'shadow fleet' covered by sanctions performed suspicious maneuvers near the power cable connecting Poland with Sweden,' Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X. 'After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports.' The term 'shadow fleet' refers to vessels used by Russia to ship oil, arms and grains in violation of international sanctions imposed after the invasion. Speaking later to reporters, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said a patrol flight scared the ship off and Polish Navy Polish Navy's ORP Heweliusz was sailing to the scene. Vice Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski, Poland's Maritime Component Commander, told Reuters that the tanker in question was called Sun and that it sailed under the Antigua flag. The Russian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. In the past, Moscow has denied its involvement in undersea sabotage in the Baltic, saying the West was using such claims to curb its sea-borne oil exports. The 600-megawatt undersea cable links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn with Ustka in northern Poland and allows both grids to rely on cross-border supplies when electricity is cheaper in the other system. A spokesperson for Polish grid operator PSE said the cable was working. PSE data showed over 600 megawatts were flowing to Sweden through the cable at 1130 GMT. 'This shows how dangerous the times we live in are, how serious the situation in the Baltic Sea is,' Kosiniak-Kamysz told a news conference. 'Since Sweden and Finland joined the North Atlantic Alliance, the Baltic Sea has become a key marine area, where the largest number of incidents occur, the most common incidents related to cable breaks... and sabotage.' He vowed a 'firm response' from Poland and NATO to any attack on Baltic Sea infrastructure. Sweden's coast guard declined to comment. Reuters was not immediately able to reach Sweden's minister for civil defence.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Poland says Russian ship performed 'suspicious manoeuvres' near cable to Sweden
WARSAW, May 21 (Reuters) - A Russian ship from the "shadow fleet" covered by sanctions performed suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in a post on X on Wednesday. "After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports," he added. He said the Polish Navy's ORP Heweliusz was sailing to the scene. The 600-megawatt undersea cable links the Swedish coast near Karlshamn with Ustka in northern Poland and allows both grids to rely on cross-border supplies when electricity is cheaper in the other system. NATO has stepped up security in the Baltic following a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the cable belonged to Polish grid operator PSE.
