Due to the “aggressive” actions of the Russian fighter, the Polish plane lost control

Polish twin-rotor reconnaissance aircraft lost control after an aggressive Russian maneuver Photo: Wojciech Strozyk/Alamy Stock Photo

Polish military Aircraft almost crashed into the Black Sea after a Russian fighter jet crossed its path in a series of «aggressive and dangerous» maneuvers.

The pilots briefly lost control of the twin-rotor reconnaissance aircraft when they got into turbulence and had to make an emergency landing.

This was the latest mid-air incident between NATO and Russian aircraft, which have repeatedly come into close contact near European borders this year.

A Polish government spokesman said: “The crew of five Polish border guards lost control of the plane and lost altitude. A Russian military aircraft flew right in front of the plane's nose, crossing its flight path at a dangerous distance. The crew estimated that he was about five meters away.”

The mid-air collision occurred a week after RAF Typhoon fighters and a Norwegian F-35A took off to intercept a Russian Tu-142 . a maritime patrol aircraft that was approaching UK airspace from the North Atlantic.

In the latest incident, the Romanian Defense Ministry, which first reported Friday's incident over the Black Sea, denounced Moscow's «aggressive and dangerous» behavior. It states that a Polish unarmed Turbolet L-410 aircraft was on a mission for Frontex, the EU border force, when it was intercepted by a Russian aircraft.

“This incident is yet another indication of Russia’s provocative approach in the Black Sea,” said a representative of the Romanian government.

Reaction time

NATO air force commanders have accused the Kremlin of flying straight to their borders to test reaction times and potentially provoke an incident that will escalate the war in Ukraine. In March, British and German warplanes intercepted Russian planes near the Estonian border.

In February, a Russian fighter jet deliberately leaked fuel onto a US reconnaissance drone over the Black Sea, causing it to crash, and separately, Dutch fighter jets intercepted a Russian military plane near the Polish border.

Professor Wyn Bowen, co-director of the Institute of Aviation and Cosmonautics. Freeman at King's College London, said last month that Russian air aggression was linked to the Kremlin's frustration with the stalled invasion of Ukraine.

“There are various potential sources of escalation between Russia and NATO in the context of Ukraine,” he said. “Perhaps the most obvious and dangerous is the activities of Russia in the air sphere. In particular, there have been several incidents since February 2022 where Russian aircraft have interacted with and harassed NATO aircraft – both manned and unmanned. achieved by his army. made in Ukraine over the past year, and now the British government has also said that President Vladimir Putin may have to shorten his May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow.

The Ministry of Defense said a drone strike on the Kremlin on Thursday morning upset the Russian authorities, who accused Ukraine of trying to kill Putin. Ukraine denies any responsibility.

“Victory Day celebrations in Moscow are likely to take place, but on a smaller scale,” a Defense Ministry spokesman said. «The timing of the strike on the Kremlin days before Victory Day shows Russia's growing vulnerability to such attacks.»

Parades across Russia have already been canceled due to security concerns and concerns that they will draw attention to the big the number of victims. course in Ukraine.