NATO announced on Friday, September 12, that it was strengthening its defenses on its eastern flank following the unprecedented intrusion of Russian drones into Polish skies during the night of Tuesday, September 9 to Wednesday, September 10. The Alliance will launch an operation to " further strengthen [its] posture along [its] eastern flank ," its Secretary General, Mark Rutte, said at a press conference in Brussels.

The order has already been given to launch this operation, dubbed " Eastern Sentinel ," said Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Alexus Grynkevich. It will begin in practice " in the coming days " and will include contributions from several Alliance countries, " including Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and others ," added Mark Rutte .

France has already announced the dispatch of three Rafale aircraft to strengthen the defense of Polish airspace. Germany has also decided to contribute.

"' Eastern Sentinel' will be flexible and agile, providing even more targeted deterrence and defense exactly when and where needed ," General Grynkevich assured. He did not provide any further details regarding the intentional or unintentional nature of the unprecedented incursion of some twenty Russian drones into Polish skies on the night of Tuesday, September 9 to Wednesday, September 10. The assessment is still ongoing, he assured, while Poland and the 27 countries of the European Union have denounced an " intentional violation"   » from Polish airspace.

" NATO is a defensive alliance, and our mission is to ensure that we do everything necessary to deter and defend. Russia's reckless behavior is extremely dangerous ," said Mark Rutte, the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance. " Our assessment of Wednesday's incidents is ongoing, but whether Russia's actions were deliberate or not, Russia violated NATO airspace. That is why we must clearly state our determination and our ability to defend our territory. And that is exactly the objective of Operation Eastern Sentinel. "

At least three drones shot down

Polish and Dutch F-16s and F-35s shot down at least three of the 19 drones that entered Poland, a first in the history of the alliance created in 1949. Russia , for its part, denied any responsibility.

" It was a very successful operation ," General Grynkevich reiterated. But, he added, " no matter how successful it is, we always learn something during the debriefing ," particularly about the need for air defenses better suited to drone attacks.

" In addition to more traditional military capabilities, this effort will also include elements designed to address the unique challenges associated with the use of drones ," the NATO Secretary General assured.

Asked about the cost of using multi-million euro weapons systems to counter much cheaper drones, particularly in the long term, the American general said that NATO was working on solutions. Working with NATO's Supreme Commander for Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, the Alliance will " ensure that we obtain weapons at lower costs " to ensure a " sustainable " defense in the long term, he added.