Rutte ridicules Russian military, saying their pilots cannot operate fighter jets properly
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
At the NATO ministers’ meeting in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged not to overestimate Russia’s capabilities. He also made ironic remarks about the competence of Russian military personnel, according to the live broadcast of his press conference on NATO’s website.
"But obviously, let's not overstate what Russia is capable of. And we know that their fighter jet pilots are famously not successful in steering these fighter jets, and their captains do not know how to lower an anchor," Rutte said.
NATO ministers’ meeting in Brussels on October 15
On October 15, a meeting of NATO defense ministers took place in Belgium, aimed at countering threats from Russia.
In particular, the discussion focused on the possibility of shooting down Russian fighter jets and drones if they repeatedly violate Alliance airspace.
NATO plans to develop a unified framework for all member states to respond to aerial threats, as there are currently significant differences in countermeasures.
Today, Rutte did not give a direct answer regarding the shooting down of Russian aircraft, but he noted that the Alliance has all the means and authority to defend every inch of its territory.
As is known, in addition to drone provocations, Russian fighter jets have also violated NATO airspace.
For example, on September 19, Russian aircraft were over Estonia for about 12 minutes. Russian fighters were also spotted over the Petrobaltic oil and gas platform in the Baltic Sea.
