European envoys have privately told Russia that NATO will respond to airspace incursions with full force – including downing Russian jets – as Moscow maintains deliberate ambiguity over its operations
Following the meeting in Moscow, diplomats from the UK, France, and Germany reportedly concluded that, despite the Kremlin’s assertions that there was “no evidence”, recent airspace violations were a deliberate tactic designed to test NATO defenses, its commitment to retaliate, and to divide the alliance. While Poland’s Donald Tusk has called for Russian jets to be shot down, Germany and Italy have cautioned against falling into Russia’s “escalation trap”.
Drones were reportedly spotted over Ørland air base in Norway, where U.S. B-1 B Lancer bombers were deployed in August to coincide with Zapad joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus, Karlskrona - Sweden’s main naval base, and Karup air base in Denmark, the country’s main military facility.
Finland, Poland, and the Baltic states have been working on a “drone wall,” and the EU nations have agreed on the need to protect the eastern border with Russia and Ukraine. The UK Defense Secretary has offered to mass-produce UAV’s to protect against incursions.
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