NATO countries discussed measures in case of Russian UAV intrusion into the Alliance's airspace

Photo: The wreckage of the Russian Geran-2 UAV, discovered near the Romanian village of Plauru. July 2024.

The North Atlantic Alliance should take “robust and coordinated” measures in connection with cases when Russian missiles or drones fired at Ukraine enter NATO airspace, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said on Wednesday, September 19, Reuters reports.

NATO's eastern flank states, whose defense ministers gathered in Bucharest on Wednesday, have repeatedly expressed concern about Russia's actions in the Black Sea region and beyond.

Earlier this month, NATO countries Romania and Latvia witnessed the crash of Russian drones after intruding into their airspace, prompting official calls for joint action to prevent future incidents.

Last week, Ukraine accused Russia of using strategic bombers to launch a missile strike on a civilian grain ship in the Black Sea near Romania.

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“The Bucharest Nine countries are deeply concerned about repeated intrusions of Russian drones and missiles into NATO airspace, in Poland, Romania, Latvia, and the escalation of tensions on NATO's eastern flank, – Tilvar told journalists. (The agency recalls that the Bucharest Nine unites the alliance countries located in Central and Eastern Europe.) – That is why a reliable, coordinated response at the level of the entire alliance is necessary, as well as the rapid implementation of a rotational air defense model and an integrated anti-missile system.”.

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski said that at the meeting of NATO defense ministers in October, it will be necessary to consider the issue of destroying drones penetrating the airspace of allies.

"We have confirmed (the fact of) hybrid attacks on allies, as well as (the fact of) Belarus's participation in Russia's actions,” – Zalewski added.

Over the past year, fragments of Russian drones have been repeatedly found on Romanian territory. Ukrainian ports on the Danube are located near Romanian territory and are often subject to shelling by Russian troops.

Prepared by: Sergey Daga