The North Atlantic Alliance continues to investigate the circumstances of recent incidents involving violations of the airspace of member countries, particularly Poland and Estonia, by Russian drones and military aircraft. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and determining the intentionality of Russia’s actions remains an open question.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Mass Drone Attacks and Airspace Violations
The Alliance is still analyzing who is responsible for the drone attacks on Danish airfields and assessing whether the flights of Russian drones into Polish airspace on the night of September 9-10 were intentional. Particular attention is drawn to the incident on September 19, when Russian MiG-31 fighters entered the airspace over Estonia near the Gulf of Finland without permission and remained there for 12 minutes. The Russian Ministry of Defense insists that the flights were “planned” and conducted in accordance with international law; however, these claims do not align with the facts recorded by NATO.
“In Denmark, we are still determining what is behind this. But when it comes to Poland and Estonia – it is clear that it is the Russians. We are still figuring out whether it was intentional or not. But even if it wasn’t – it is reckless and unacceptable,” he stated.
Drone Wall Initiative and Strengthening Defense
Mark Rutte emphasized the need to strengthen the security of NATO countries’ airspace. He supported the creation of a so-called “drone wall” and stressed that this initiative is timely and necessary. To discuss the details of this project, Ukraine was invited to the first meeting of the Eastern flank countries of the EU to share its own experience in countering aerial threats.
Joint exercises called “Wings of Defense” have started in Denmark, involving Ukrainian specialists in combating strike drones. Over the week, participants will work on practical tasks, exchange knowledge, and enhance skills in countering aerial threats. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, these exercises will contribute to improving the level of military training and the effectiveness of responses to drone attacks.
On September 23, NATO officially condemned the violation of Estonia’s airspace by Russian aircraft, stating that Russia bears full responsibility for its escalatory actions. In response, the Kremlin warned that the intentions of the Alliance countries to shoot down Russian planes could lead to a dangerous escalation of tension near Russian borders.
In the past two weeks, NATO countries have repeatedly accused the Russian Federation of violating airspace. Particularly resonant was the case of approximately 20 drones entering Polish airspace on the night of September 10, as well as the incident on September 13, when a Russian drone attacking Ukraine spent over 50 minutes over Romanian territory before returning.