On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced on social media that a pair of Polish MiG-29 quick reaction alert fighters from the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork had intercepted two Russian Su-30SM2 multirole fighters (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) from the Kaliningrad region.
Russian Su-30SM / File photo: NATO AIRCOM
“Once again, the Russians conducted aggressive surveillance over the Baltic Sea of our air defense system integration exercises. A pair of our quick reaction alert aircraft from Malbork was therefore scrambled and intercepted two Su-30SM2s from Kaliningrad. The Russian aircraft did not approach Polish airspace. In addition, a pair of Swedish fighters operating over the Baltic escorted the intercepted Russian aircraft.”
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz
The previous day, a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M imagery and signals intelligence aircraft (NATO reporting name: Coot-A) attempted to enter Polish airspace and was also intercepted.
It is worth noting that the Polish Navy is currently conducting Operation Zatoka in the Baltic Sea together with Allied forces, as well as activities under Operation Baltic Sentry.
These are the latest in a series of incidents involving Russian military aviation over the Baltic Sea this year. The previous interception of an Il-20M near Polish airspace took place on May 13. Earlier, on April 24, a pair of F-16s intercepted two Russian Su-30 multirole fighters over the Baltic Sea. Il-20Ms were also intercepted by Polish F-16s on April 9 and by MiG-29s on March 16.
Earlier interceptions of Russian Il-20Ms took place on three consecutive days—October 29, 30, and 31, 2025. Three such incidents were also recorded in 2024: an interception by an F-16 Jastrząb on August 12, and interceptions by MiG-29s and F-16s on March 3 and 6.
Su-30SM2
Su-30SM multirole fighters and the newer Su-30SM2 variant are stationed at the Russian air base in Chernyakhovsk as part of the Baltic Fleet’s 4th Guards Naval Assault Aviation Regiment. The first aircraft were delivered there in 2016, with further deliveries following in 2017 and subsequent years. In 2022, Russia planned to deploy an additional Su-30SM2 squadron in the region to strengthen the air defense of the Kaliningrad exclave.
The upgrade of the Su-30SM to the Su-30SM2 standard included replacing the 123 kN Salyut AL-31FP engines with more powerful Saturn/Lyulka AL-41F-1S (117S) thrust-vectoring engines derived from the Su-35S. Producing 142 kN of thrust, the new engines provide approximately 16 percent more thrust, while offering lower fuel consumption and a longer service life.
The Su-30SM2 also receives upgraded avionics, including a modernized or new active electronically scanned array radar, expanded weapons-carrying capabilities, a new electronic warfare system, and the OSNOD radio navigation and communications system. The latter incorporates a new tactical data link compatible with Su-57 multirole fighters and unmanned aerial systems. The modernization is intended to keep the aircraft in service beyond 2040.
On July 6 this year, the Russian Aerospace Forces received another batch of Su-30SM2 aircraft manufactured by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant in Irkutsk.
Rosjanie po raz kolejny prowadzili nad Bałtykiem agresywną obserwację naszych ćwiczeń zgrywania systemów obrony powietrznej. Dlatego została poderwana para dyżurna naszych samolotów z Malborka, która przechwyciła parę Su-30SM2 z Królewca. Rosyjskie samoloty nie zbliżyły się do…
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) July 15, 2026
Morze Bałtyckie ma strategiczne znaczenie dla bezpieczeństwa Polski, dlatego jego ochrona pozostaje jednym z priorytetów @MarWojRP 🇵🇱⚓ oraz jest ważnym elementem współpracy sojuszniczej.
Operacja #ZATOKA i działania prowadzone w ramach aktywności #BalticSentry są ze sobą… pic.twitter.com/NaMsT7pAC7
— Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ (@DowOperSZ) July 15, 2026
