Poland nearly shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 - details
Polish military nearly shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet operating near the border during a Russian attack on July 30. General Maciej Klisz reported that Poland's air defense was tracking Russian missiles but did not see the Ukrainian aircraft. One wrong maneuver by the pilot could have led to 'friendly fire.' The incident revealed a problem of coordination among allied forces in the border airspace.
Polish military nearly shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet operating near the border during a massive Russian attack on July 30. Operational Commander of the Polish Armed Forces General Maciej Klisz said that Polish air defense forces were monitoring air targets approaching the border, but at a certain moment did not see the Ukrainian aircraft, which was involved in repelling the Russian strike. The situation was complicated by the fact that the Polish side was tracking Russian missiles but did not have a complete picture of the Ukrainian MiG-29's actions. If the Ukrainian pilot had lost orientation or crossed the border for another reason, there was a risk of 'friendly fire.' The episode demonstrates the problem of massive Russian attacks: when missiles and drones fly towards western regions of Ukraine, Ukrainian aviation takes off for interception, while neighboring NATO states simultaneously put their forces on high alert. In the border airspace, multiple forces operate simultaneously, creating a risk of misidentifying an allied aircraft as a threat.