Polish Jets Intercept Russian Spy Plane Over Baltic Sea Amid Heightened Tensions

📌Key Points

• •Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over international waters of the Baltic Sea on Thursday.
• •This is the second such incident this week, occurring amid heightened alert on NATO's eastern flank.
• •The intercept follows previous Russian airspace violations in Estonia and drone incursions into Polish airspace in September.
• •Separately, objects believed to be smuggling balloons entered Polish airspace from Belarus, leading to temporary airspace closures.
• •Other concurrent events included Russian President Putin's Christmas message to Donald Trump and a Ukrainian strike on a Russian oil refinery.