UK ready to shoot down Russian drones entering NATO countries
Photo: UK Defense Secretary John Healey (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
NATO will respond decisively to Russian threats. British Typhoon fighter jets are ready to shoot down Russian drones flying over alliance countries if necessary, said UK Defense Secretary John Healey, according to The Guardian.
"If you’ve got drones that are putting Polish lives at risk, then NATO will take action to take them out," Healey said.
He underlined that British Typhoon jets are part of a broader mission to protect NATO’s airspace. Last week, Romania became the second NATO ally in Eastern Europe to record a Russian drone crossing into its airspace.
Healey noted that the Typhoon mission could expand operations into a country’s territory if deemed necessary.
"They are deployed as part of the Nato Eastern Sentry air policing. What NATO decides to and where it decides to deploy them will be for NATO. That’s part of our contribution to the alliance," he said.
Healey also added that there is currently no confirmation of Russia’s intentions to send drones into Poland, but emphasized, "It’s still reckless, it’s still dangerous."
Operation Eastern Sentry
As reported yesterday, the United Kingdom will join NATO’s new mission Eastern Sentry in Poland, deploying its Typhoon fighter jets to secure the country’s airspace.
Earlier, NATO launched Eastern Sentry to strengthen the defense of Europe’s eastern flank in response to Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace on September 10.
The mission will involve a range of assets, including both air and ground-based resources. At the same time, Operation Eastern Sentry does not include coordination with Ukraine’s air defense system.
