A Polish border guard plane taking part in a Frontex mission was approached three times over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet which carried out aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres, according to the institution’s spokeswoman Lt Anna Michalska. She thus confirms information about the incident, which occurred on Friday at around 1:20 pm in international airspace. During the incident, the Polish crew temporarily lost control of the aircraft and lost altitude.
Romania’s Ministry of Defence was the first to report that aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres repeatedly carried out by Russian Federation fighters in the vicinity of the Polish plane caused high turbulence and difficulties in controlling the machine.
Two fighter planes of the Romanian Air Force and two of the Spanish Air Force, operating as part of the Air Police Combat Service, were alerted by the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Torrejon. They were ready to intervene at a moment’s notice, but it turned out that there was no need.
Russian Su-35 flew 5 metres in front of the bow of a Polish aircraft
A dangerous incident occurred during a patrol flight of a Turbolet L-410 aircraft of the Polish Border Guard, during a Frontex operation under Romanian command, in the operational area designated by Romania, confirms Border Guard spokeswoman Lieutenant Anna Michalska. She went on to explain that “a twin-engine Russian Su-35 fighter flew into the operational area designated by Romania without any radio contact, after which it carried out aggressive and dangerous manoeuvres – three approaches to the Polish aircraft without safe separation”.
“As a result of this incident, the Polish border guard aircraft experienced severe turbulence,” says Michalska.
The spokeswoman points out that during the incident with the Russian fighter jet, the five-person crew of the Polish Border Guard officers temporarily lost control of the aircraft and lost altitude.
The Russian fighter plane also made a flyby right in front of the very bow of the BG plane, crossing its flight path at a dangerous distance. According to the assessment of the aircrew, the distance was about 5 metres. After the third approach, the Russian fighter jet moved away from the Polish plane, according to the Border Guard spokeswoman.
The crew, including above all the two pilots (an officer and a female Border Guard officer), demonstrated excellent skills and great composure, thanks to which they managed to land safely, she points out.
Lt. Anna Michalska emphasises that the crew of the Border Guard Turbolet L 410 aircraft – two pilots and three flight system operators – are officers of the 1st Aviation Division of the Border Guard Aviation Office in Gdansk.
They have been taking part in the Frontex – JO MMO Black Sea 2023 mission since 19 April 2023.
It is the second operation this year in which Polish border guards are taking part. The first took place earlier this year in Italy.
A video presenting a Turbolet L-410 aircraft/ Polish Border Guard