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.
Russian jet harasses Polish Border Guard aircraft
While conducting a Frontex operation, a Polish Border Guard (SG) aircraft was approached three times over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet,…
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“The Polish crew had taken appropriate measures and managed to land safely,” government spokesman Piotr Müller told a private Polsat News television program on Sunday.
“The Polish aircraft was approached three times over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet, which performed aggressive and dangerous maneuvers,” Border Guard spokeswoman Lt. Anna Michalska told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) on Sunday morning. She added that during the incident the Polish crew had reportedly lost control of the aircraft and altitude for a moment.
Spokesman Müller 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,” Müller 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.
‘Cynical and purposeful’
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Stanisław Żaryn, the government plenipotentiary for the security of the information space, commented on the incident on Twitter, calling it “another aggressive operation against Poland”.
“This is a serious violation, an action targeting Polish officers and the Polish state,” he added.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, May 5, but was only made public by the Polish Border Guard on Sunday, is not only the latest in a string of irresponsible Russian provocations against Poland.
“For several days now, the Russians have been escalating the situation by conducting aggressive information operations against Poland. Earlier, in a Russian propaganda program, threats were made against the Polish ambassador to Russia, now a Polish aircraft was rammed, and many times has Poland been threatened with retaliation or even with the destruction of the country in connection to commitment to support Ukraine,” Żaryn wrote.
Rosja w sposób cyniczny i celowy eskaluje napięcie i próbuje zastraszyć Polskę.
Kolejny raz działania Moskwy pokazują, że to Rosja jest krajem agresywnym i wrogo nastawionym do Polski.
— Stanisław Żaryn (@StZaryn) May 7, 2023
According to the official, “In a cynical and purposeful manner, Russia is escalating tension and attempts to intimidate Poland. Yet again, Moscow’s actions show that Russia in an aggressive state that is hostile toward Poland.”