10 May: Poland has summoned the Russian ambassador to Warsaw to protest against an incident involving a Russian fighter jet that flew dangerously close to a Polish military transport plane on Monday. The Polish Foreign Ministry said the incident was a “serious violation of international law” and demanded an explanation from Moscow.
The incident occurred over the Baltic Sea, where NATO and Russian forces often operate in close proximity. Poland said its C-130 Hercules plane was on a routine flight from Estonia to Poland when it was approached by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet that performed “aggressive maneuvers” and came within 60 meters of the Polish aircraft.
The Polish Defense Ministry released a video of the incident, which showed the Russian jet flying alongside and then crossing the path of the Polish plane. The ministry said the Russian pilot endangered the lives of the Polish crew and violated the rules of air traffic.
Russia denied any wrongdoing and accused Poland of provoking the incident by flying close to its border. The Russian Defense Ministry said its jet was scrambled to identify an “unknown air target” that was approaching Russia’s airspace and that it acted in accordance with international norms.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, where Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops near its border. Poland, a NATO member and a staunch ally of Ukraine, has expressed concern over Russia’s military buildup and called for more support from the alliance.
Poland has also been involved in diplomatic disputes with Russia over other issues, such as the seizure of a Russian embassy school building in Warsaw last year and the refusal of entry to a Polish journalist accused of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia by Britain earlier this month.
In this context, a human might say that this news article is informative, concise and objective. It covers the main facts of the incident, the reactions of both sides and the background of the relations between Poland and Russia. It also uses direct quotes from official sources and references to other news articles to support its statements.