Poland's defense minister on Thursday complained of "unprecedented" activity by Russia's navy and air force in the Baltic Sea region in recent days.
Tomasz Siemoniak said the majority of the incidents involved Russian operations in international waters, and that Sweden was the country most affected.
Siemoniak said Poland sees Russia's show of military strength primarily as an attempt to test NATO, adding that "it doesn't help to build good relations and trust."
He spoke in an interview with TVN24, which said that on Monday Dutch F-16s taking part in NATO's Baltic Air policing mission intercepted two Russian Su-34 bombers.
Siemoniak wouldn't give details of that incident, but said it is just "one of many."
He said the issue would be discussed later in the day in Latvia with counterparts from the three Baltic states.
Estonia's foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador on Wednesday after Estonia claimed a Russian plane had violated the country's air space. The Russian defense ministry denied it, saying the Russian military aircraft was making a routine flight from Moscow to the Russian Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad "in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace."
On Sunday, NATO said Russian military activity "has been considerable" in recent months. It added, "Such activity can be destabilizing and potentially dangerous, if international norms are not respected."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.