The Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist) has described Russia’s violation of NATO airspace as "unacceptable". On Tuesday night several Russian drones entered Polish airspace, forcing Poland to close its airports. The Polish military shot down the drones as they were seen as posing a direct security threat.
The Polish military says that multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace during a large-scale attack on western Ukraine on Tuesday night. Several of the drones were shot down. The Polish government describes the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones as an “act of aggression” and “a real threat to the public safety”. The country’s airports have since reopened. A search has been mounted to retrieve the drones that were shot down. One has already been found in the village of Czosnówka around 40km from Poland’s border with Belarus.
In a reaction on the social media platform X, Mr Francken said that the violation of NATO airspace by Russia was "unacceptable" and that “We must further increase our vigilance and respond appropriately to any form of Russian aggression”. The Belgian Defence Minister added that the procurement of anti-drone defence systems must be prioritised and that a "big purchase" of such equipment is coming soon.