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The Foreign Office called the incursions into Polish and
Romanian airspace in recent days "unacceptable” and summoned
Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador.
"Significant and unprecedented violation of Polish and NATO
airspace by Russian drones last week, followed by a further
incursion into Romanian airspace on Saturday, was utterly
unacceptable," the ministry said in a statement.
“Russia should understand that its continued aggression only
strengthens the unity between NATO allies and our determination
to stand with Ukraine, and any further incursions will again be
met with force," the ministry added. “Russia must end its
illegal war on Ukraine.”
“The U.K stands united with Poland, Romania, Ukraine and our
NATO allies in unreservedly condemning these reckless actions,"
the office added.
Multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland on Wednesday in what
European officials described as a provocation, causing NATO to
send fighter jets to shoot them down.
Russia said Poland wasn't targeted, and Moscow's ally Belarus
said the drones went astray because they were jammed. But
European leaders have expressed certainty that the incursion was
deliberate, underlining long-held concerns about the expansion
of Russia’s more than three-year war in Ukraine.
Polish airspace has been violated several times since Russia’s
full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but there has been
nothing on the scale of Wednesday’s violations in Poland or in
any other NATO country.
Romania said Saturday it deployed two F-16 jets to intercept a
drone that briefly entered its airspace. The country's defense
ministry said the drone did not fly over inhabited areas and did
not represent an imminent danger to the public.
Britain's military said Monday that Royal Air Force fighter jets
will join several other European nations in aur-defense missions
over Poland.
Britain's Defense Ministry said the Typhoon jets will join
planes from Denmark, France and Germany in the mission, dubbed
Eastern Sentry, which involves extra European fighter jets, a
warship and air defense systems along with existing air policing
and ground defenses.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “Russia’s reckless behavior is
a direct threat to European security and a violation of
international law, which is why the U.K. will support NATO’s
efforts to bolster its eastern flank through Eastern Sentry.”
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