The North Atlantic Alliance is currently not considering the possibility of shooting down Russian drones over Ukrainian territory, even in light of incidents involving airspace violations by member countries. This was stated by a senior NATO official during a briefing, emphasizing that the ‘Eastern Guardian’ mission exclusively covers the participating states of the alliance.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Details of the Mission and Response to the Drone Incident
On September 10, nearly twenty Russian drones were recorded near the Polish border, having intruded into Polish airspace. As a result, NATO forces, including Polish F-16 fighters, Dutch F-35s, Italian AWACS reconnaissance aircraft, and refueling planes jointly operated by the alliance, destroyed these aerial targets. The cost of the missiles used to shoot down the drones significantly exceeded the price of the drones themselves.
Despite the fact that the ‘Eastern Guardian’ mission was initiated after this incident to enhance security along the eastern borders, it only covers the territories of Poland and other NATO member countries. Eight states have already joined or expressed their intention to participate in this operation: France, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.
NATO’s Position on Russia’s Actions and the Investigation of the Incident
The alliance refrains from making definitive assessments regarding the motives of Russia behind the drone incident, emphasizing the need for a thorough analysis of each case. A NATO official explained that radars can display multiple tracks of the same drone, so a detailed investigation, particularly based on the examination of drone debris, is necessary for an accurate understanding of the situation. The collection of evidence and the establishment of the circumstances of the event are currently the prerogative of the Polish side.
“When analyzing such a situation, many factors must be taken into account. Sometimes the tracks of drones can be reflected in duplicate. In other words, you may see several tracks on the radar and only one drone, so a lot needs to be done to interpret this picture… It may someday become completely clear, or it may not,” said the senior official.
NATO also emphasizes that cooperation with Ukraine remains bilateral: Ukrainian military personnel learn from allies, while alliance countries learn from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, as the official pointed out, the expansion of the mission into Ukrainian territory is not currently planned.
For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the strikes on September 10 were aimed at military facilities in Ukraine, and that no targets were planned on Polish territory. However, the Polish government insists that the Russian drones entered their territory intentionally.