BRUSSELS - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today announced the creation of a new alliance operation, Eastern Sentry, in response to Wednesday's incident in which a Russian drone penetrated Polish airspace. According to Rutte, this was not an isolated case - similar intrusions have been recorded over Romania, Estonia and Lithuania in the past.
"The Alliance cannot ignore the growing number of provocations that threaten the security of its member states. Operation Eastern Sentry will strengthen the defence of the eastern flank and demonstrate NATO's unity and resolve," the Secretary General told a press conference in Brussels.
The aim of the new operation is to strengthen the air defence and border surveillance of the states bordering Ukraine and Russia. The operation will involve both air units and radar systems, as well as alliance reconnaissance capabilities. According to alliance sources, additional rapid reaction units are also being considered for deployment in Poland and the Baltic states.
The incident that precipitated the launch of the operation took place on Wednesday afternoon. The Polish defence ministry said a Russian drone crossed the border in the south-eastern part of the country. The machine was intercepted and tracked by anti-aircraft systems and returned to Ukrainian territory after a few minutes. The Polish military said that the safety of the population was not directly threatened, but described the incident as "further proof of Russia's disrespect for international law".
Rutte stressed that NATO does not want conflict with Russia, but must protect its members. "The alliance takes any attack or violation of our territory seriously. Eastern Sentry is a preemptive step to deter further provocations," he said.
Similar incidents took place in Romania, where earlier this year parts of Russian drones landed on Romanian territory near the border with Ukraine. In the Baltics, anti-aircraft radars recorded several airspace violations, in some cases involving the deployment of allied fighters as part of the Air Policing mission.
Analysts point out that the creation of the Eastern Sentry fits into NATO's broader strategy to significantly strengthen defence plans for its eastern members from 2022 - after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "This sends a clear signal to the alliance that the eastern borders are not a weak point but a priority line of defence," said a security expert at Brussels-based think tank CEPS.
Polish President Andrzej Duda welcomed the decision and described it as an important step towards strengthening the security of the region. He said Poland has long warned of an increased risk of hybrid and military incidents near the Ukrainian border.
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