NATO, Russia and Poland
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21hon MSN
Russia-Belarus military drill tests nerves on NATO’s eastern flank at the end of a tense week
Alarms bells sounded this week in Europe after NATO jets scrambled to intercept an unprecedented Russian drone incursion in Poland. Now there is fresh unease on NATO’s eastern flank, as Russia and Belarus kick off major military drills to test the readiness of their armed forces.
NATO on Friday launched an operation named Eastern Sentry to bolster the defence of Europe's eastern flank in response to Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace earlier this week, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said.
Polish F-16 fighters, Dutch F-35 fighters, German Patriot air defense systems and an Italian AWACS surveillance aircraft were all deployed, and three of the drones were downed. Others crashed, including near villages in eastern Poland.
NATO has launched an initiative to reinforce the defense of Europe’s eastern flank after a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace this week, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced on Friday.
NATO says it's bulking up its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine with new equipment.
Nato fighter jets shot down Russian drones over Poland in the first ever direct engagement between the Western alliance and Moscow.