Operation Eastern Sentry does not include integration with Ukraine’s air defense, NATO general says
Photo: NATO General Alexus Grynkewich (Getty Images)
Operation Eastern Sentry will focus primarily on defending NATO territory. At the same time, the Alliance continues to learn from Ukraine and will take into account its experience in shooting down aerial targets, said Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, during a press conference.
The General was asked whether it is time to integrate NATO and Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to act jointly against the same enemy.
"Eastern Sentry is focused on the defence of Alliance territory, and as of right now, I see no conflict between the support that individual nations are providing to Ukraine and what they are offering to contribute to this effort," Grynkewich said.
He also praised Ukraine’s experience and the EU initiative to build a so-called drone wall. According to the General, such methods align with NATO’s intentions.
"Just coming back from the Baltics, a number of States are making investments in technologies, learning lessons from Ukraine about what kind of sensors and what kind of weapons, kinetic and non-kinetic, might be effective. And so, integrating those sorts of defences into our daily deterrence activities and into our regional plans is absolutely going to be something that we want to do moving forward," Grynkewich emphasized.
He noted that NATO has a lot to learn from Ukraine.
"They have a well-established defence industrial base. They have a lot of experience now with drone interceptors. We have JATEC, the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland, which is joint NATO and Ukraine, where we take lessons," the General added.
Eastern Sentry
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that NATO is launching Operation Eastern Sentry to strengthen the defense of Europe’s eastern flank in response to Russian drones entering Polish airspace on September 10.
"It's reckless and unacceptable. We can't have Russian drones entering allied airspace," Rutte said.
According to him, the mission, which begins this evening, will include a range of resources, including air and ground bases.
Allies, including Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, have already committed to participating in the mission, with others planning to join as well.
