NATO considering urgent boost to drone defenses on eastern flank
This is according to a report by Politico, cited by Ukrinform.
“NATO allies on Wednesday discussed a proposal for an accelerated drone-buying program, just days after a Russian drone crash caused multiple injuries in Romania,” the report reads.
The issue is of particular concern to the Baltic states, Poland, Romania, and Finland, which view the drone threat as increasingly serious.
During a closed-door meeting of NATO's 32 ambassadors, officials debated whether the Alliance should urgently acquire additional drones to support air-policing missions over frontline member states, according to three diplomats familiar with the discussions.
“Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to create major risks for Euro-Atlantic security, particularly in the Black Sea,” Romanian President Nicușor Dan wrote after the meeting. “It is therefore important that NATO strengthen its presence and capabilities in Romania,” he added.
The talks came after a Russian drone crashed into a residential building in Romania late last month, injuring two people and prompting Bucharest to call for an accelerated deployment of NATO air-defense assets. In recent weeks, the Alliance has also scrambled aircraft to intercept suspicious drones over Latvia and Estonia.
“As a direct result of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, we’ve seen more incidents with drones along our eastern flank,” said NATO spokesperson Allison Hart.
One proposal under discussion is the creation of a so-called "drone wall" along NATO's eastern borders. The initiative would rely on a network of sensors, surveillance systems, and drones to provide continuous monitoring of border areas.
However, European countries remain divided over how to implement such measures. While some governments favor rapid deployment of new security systems, others have raised concerns about the high costs involved, technical challenges, and the risk of duplicating existing NATO capabilities.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, Latvia expects to host Ukrainian specialists next week to help counter drone threats. The country's armed forces recently said NATO fighter jets had shot down a drone in Latvian airspace.
A similar incident occurred in Estonia in May, when Baltic air-defense forces reportedly shot down a drone over Lake Võrtsjärv for the first time.
Photo: NATO
