Hungarian military put on alert after Ukrainian aircraft violates country's airspace
The Hungarian Air Force was put on alert after a small Ukrainian plane illegally entered Hungarian airspace on the night of June 9th, reported on Mukachevo.net news outlet.
“The border guards immediately sounded the alarm and informed the relevant NATO security agencies. In addition, Swedish fourth generation Saab JAS 39 Gripen multi-role fighters were immediately sent up,” the report stated.
The incident occurred on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border in the area of the Luzhanka-Beregshuran crossing point.
The Hungarian military noted that the plane, which came from Ukraine, left Hungarian airspace after it made a series of maneuvers.
“It is possible that it was one of several aircraft that Transcarpathian dealers use to smuggle various contraband into the EU, such as illegal immigrants and other things,” the website reported.
Ukrainian border guards are carrying out operational procedures to identify the aircraft that crossed the Hungarian border.
“On the night of June 9th, Hungarian border guards observed a flying object on radar. It was a small flying object. It might have been an airplane, or it might have been a hang glider. It’s difficult to say,” said Oleg Slobodyan, spokesman of the State Border Service of Ukraine, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
According to him, because the Ukrainian plane violated Hungarian airspace, a military alert was indeed announced and military planes were put in high combat readiness.
“They put the planes into high combat readiness, but the planes did not leave the ground. We did not announce the alarm, I think it has already been canceled,” Slobodyan added.
The spokesman noted that, since the incident has not been confirmed and there is no detained pilot. Criminal proceedings have not been initiated over the Ukrainian plane crossing the Hungarian border. Also, according to Slobodyan, border guards on both sides are currently carrying out operational measures and searches.
“Law enforcement agencies are trying to establish what kind of aircraft it was and why it crossed the border,” Slobodyan added.
According to a representative of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, it was most likely a hang glider or airplane being used by smugglers.
“We can confirm that smugglers have recently been using small aircraft more frequently due to the fact that we have strengthened the security of the country’s border. These things do take place,” Slobodyan said.