Poland informs NATO of Russian provocation near drilling rig
20 September 2025 00:27
Two Russian fighter jets violated the security zone of the Petrobaltic drilling platform in the Baltic Sea. This was reported by the Polish Border Guard Service, noting that the country’s Armed Forces and other relevant services were involved in the incident. This was reported by TVP World, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
“Two Russian fighter jets made a low pass over the Petrobaltic platform in the Baltic Sea. The security zone was violated. The services responsible for Polish security are constantly monitoring the situation around critical maritime infrastructure, including areas outside territorial waters,” the Polish border guards said in a statement.
An economic zone, but not a state border
Katarzyna Przybysz, a representative of the Maritime Border Guard Service, clarified that the incident occurred within Poland’s exclusive economic zone, but the state border was not violated.
“The case has been handed over to the military,” she told TVP Info.
The exclusive economic zone is a maritime territory up to 200 nautical miles from the coast, where the state has special rights to explore and use natural resources.
What is known about the Petrobaltic platform
The Petrobaltic platform belongs to the state-owned energy company Orlen.
It is located in the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea, a few dozen kilometers north of Cape Rozewe, and produces oil and gas from under the seabed.
The facility is of strategic importance for the country’s energy security.
A series of air incidents in the Baltic States
The incident with the Polish drilling rig occurred a few hours after Estonia reported that three Russian MiG-31 fighters had entered its airspace over the Gulf of Finland. According to Tallinn, the planes stayed there for 12 minutes, which the government called “unprecedented audacity.” NATO forces responded promptly to the violation by intercepting the aircraft.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Mihal said that his country had asked the allies to convene consultations under Article 4 of the NATO Charter.
Earlier this month, Article 4 was already invoked at Warsaw’s request when Polish air defense forces, supported by allied aircraft, shot down Russian drones in their airspace. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned at the time that the incidents were “the closest moment to open conflict since World War II.”
Reaction of the Allies
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski strongly condemned Moscow’s actions:
“Last week – Poland, today – Estonia. Russia is once again provoking and demonstrating its lack of interest in peace.”
He also emphasized that Warsaw expresses solidarity with Tallinn and demands a tough response from NATO.
Experts note that Russia’s regular violations of air and sea space in the Baltic region are becoming more frequent, creating additional tension on the Alliance’s eastern flank, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
