A NATO fighter shot down a drone – the General reveals why

In recent days and weeks, Ukraine has increased its long-range drone attacks on Russia, especially on St. Petersburg and targets in the Baltic Sea region. The drones used in these attacks have also ended up in the airspace of NATO countries (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania).

Ukraine blames the straying of the drones on Russian electronic interference of Ukrainian drones. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Russia deliberately directs Ukrainian drones into the airspace of the Baltic countries.

According to experts, Russia has the ability to interfere with the drones sent by Ukraine, allowing them to end up in the airspace of neighboring countries.

On Tuesday, a Romanian fighter participating in NATO’s Baltic air surveillance shot down a drone that entered Estonian airspace.

NATO Supreme Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich praised NATO’s anti-aircraft capability in shooting down the drone at a press conference after the NATO Military Committee (MC) meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

“This is exactly how our defense system is supposed to work,” Grynkewich said.

“Authorities have been delegated to the lowest tactical level so that we can defend every inch of Alliance territory in the event of such a breach, so I am extremely proud.”

The NATO general also praised the excellent integration with all Baltic air defense capabilities and NATO’s air surveillance operation.

Russia is threatening

Grynkewich also took a stand on Russia’s threats to the Baltic countries. Russia has claimed that Latvia and Estonia are giving their territory and airspace to Ukraine so that Ukraine can attack Russia.

According to a Latvian journalist, on Tuesday, Russia presented a threat specifically to Latvia, according to which Latvia has allowed Ukrainian troops to enter its territory and attack Russia, in which case Russia could attack Latvia because of this.

The Commander-in-Chief of NATO’s European Forces dismissed Russia’s threats as a typical Russian narrative.

“They keep saying NATO is doing something offensive, but we all know – you can read the contract – NATO is a defense alliance.”

According to Grynkewich, the Russians know that NATO is not a threat.

“If they thought we were a threat to Russia, they wouldn’t have emptied the military district of Leningrad to attack Ukraine.”

“Finally, if we allowed drones to go through Baltic airspace to get to Russia, we wouldn’t shoot them down,” Grynkewich said.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz

News agency Bloomberg sources NATO is discussing the possibility of helping ships pass through the blocked Strait of Hormuz, if the waterway cannot be opened by the beginning of July. A high-ranking NATO official told Bloomberg about it.

According to Bloomberg’s source, the proposal has received support from several member states, but the required consensus has not yet been reached.

A possible operation would mark a turning point in the alliance’s strategy in relation to the “Epic Fury” war waged by the United States and Israel in Iran. Until now, the NATO countries have emphasized that they will participate in securing the strait only after the fighting has ended and as part of a broad international coalition.

General Grynkewich, the Commander-in-Chief of NATO’s forces in Europe, was also asked about the alliance’s participation on Tuesday.

He stated that at Tuesday’s meeting of NATO’s highest military body, the Military Committee, it was unanimously emphasized that it is in NATO’s interests to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on a coalition of willing countries and bilateral commitments that have already been made.

According to Grynkewich, a political decision would first be needed regarding NATO’s actual participation in the maritime security operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the commander of NATO’s European forces wanted to share his own point of view on the situation.

He said that several times during Operation Epic Fury, Iran fired ballistic missiles into the area of ​​responsibility of the Commander of European Forces.

In addition, he reminded that the disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz caused by Iran will have a “very negative” effect on the economies of all member countries and will also weaken the military-industrial capacity in the long term.

“We also know that Iran and Russia transfer technology and share lessons with each other,” and rising energy prices and raw material shortages can also have a military effect.

“So there are several effects here, which are due to the fact that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is not being realized at the moment,” the NATO general said.

“All of this is up for discussion at the political level in terms of which factors act as triggers and when a political decision is made to proceed,” Grynkewich said.