BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today announced the creation of a new alliance operation called "Eastern Sentry." The decision was made in response to a Wednesday incident in which a Russian drone entered Polish airspace. According to Rutte, this was not an isolated incident; similar violations have been recorded over Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania in the past.

"The alliance cannot ignore the increasing number of provocations that threaten the security of member states. Operation Eastern Sentry will strengthen the defense of the eastern flank and demonstrate NATO's unity and resolve," the Secretary General said at a press conference in Brussels.

The aim of the new operation is to strengthen air defense and border surveillance in countries bordering Ukraine and Russia. The operation will involve both air units, radar systems, and NATO's reconnaissance capabilities. According to alliance sources, the deployment of additional rapid reaction forces in Poland and the Baltic states is also being considered.

The incident that prompted the launch of the operation occurred on Wednesday afternoon. The Polish Ministry of Defense stated that the Russian drone crossed the border in the southeastern part of the country. The drone was detected and tracked by air defense systems and returned to Ukrainian territory after a few minutes. The Polish military stated that the safety of the population was not directly threatened, but the incident was described as "further evidence of Russia's disregard for international law."

Rutte emphasized that NATO does not want a conflict with Russia, but must protect its members. "Every attack or violation of our territory is taken seriously by the alliance. Eastern Sentry is a preventive measure designed to deter further provocations," he said.

Similar incidents have occurred in Romania, where parts of Russian drones fell on Romanian territory near the border with Ukraine at the beginning of the year. In the Baltic region, air defense radars have repeatedly detected airspace violations, and in some cases, NATO fighter jets have been deployed as part of the Air Policing mission.

Analysts point out that the creation of Eastern Sentry is part of a broader NATO strategy that has significantly strengthened defense plans for the eastern member states since 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "The alliance is sending a clear signal that the eastern border is not a weak point, but a priority line of defense," said a security expert from the Brussels-based think tank CEPS.

Polish President Andrzej Duda welcomed the decision and described it as an important step towards strengthening regional security. He said that Poland has long warned of the increased risk of hybrid and military incidents near the Ukrainian border.

gnews.cz - GH