Germany deploys fighter jets to Poland amid tensions with Russia

BERLIN

Germany has deployed fighter jets to Poland to strengthen NATO's eastern flank amid escalating tensions with Russia, defense officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Five German Eurofighter Typhoon jets will operate from the Minsk Mazowiecki Air Base east of Warsaw and assist Polish forces with airspace surveillance operations, according to German Defense Ministry officials.

"This deployment demonstrates NATO alliance solidarity and provides credible deterrence while protecting our shared airspace," a spokesperson from the German Air Force told Bild daily, adding that air-policing flights would begin Tuesday.

Nearly 150 German military personnel are currently stationed at the Minsk Mazowiecki Air Base for this mission, defense officials said. The operation is expected to last approximately one month.

Poland, a member of both the EU and NATO, serves as a critical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine. The German Air Force has been assisting Polish forces with airspace monitoring since April. Previously, the fighter jets conducting this mission operated from the city of Rostock.