Mueller said the incident had probably been a planned Russian provocation.
Radek Pietruszka/PAP

The Polish government spokesman has said that the incident in which a Polish Border Guard aircraft was approached over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet has probably been a planned Russian provocation.

“The Polish crew had taken appropriate measures and managed to land safely,” Piotr Mueller told a private Polsat News television programme on Sunday.

“A dangerous incident occurred during a patrol flight of a Polish Border Guard Turbolet L-410 aircraft, during a Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency – PAP) operation under Romanian command,” Border Guard spokeswoman Anna Michalska told PAP on Sunday morning.

“The Polish aircraft was approached three times over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet, which performed aggressive and dangerous manoeuvers,” Michalska said, adding that, during the incident, the Polish crew had reportedly lost control of the aircraft and altitude for a moment.

Mueller said the incident had probably been a planned Russian provocation.

“We can see that Russia’s goal is to attract international attention to such provocations,” Mueller stated.

The Polish plane has been deployed in Romania from April 19 as part of the Frontex – JO MMO Black Sea 2023 mission. It is the second operation this year in which Polish border guards are taking part. The first one took place earlier this year in Italy.