Belgian defence minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist) has thanked the UK for its 'swift support and solidarity' after Britain announced it was sending an anti-drone team to Belgium to face the drone threat. Posting on X Francken said the deployment of a UK anti-drone team in Belgium strengthens our collective security and showcases our unity in countering hybrid threats.
Earlier Britain’s Chief of Defence announced the UK is sending personnel and equipment to Belgium.
The British army is helping Belgium after the recent drone incidents. Sir Richard Knighton, Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, told British broadcaster BBC. ‘We are going to send people and equipment to Belgium to help them’. Knighton says that this help is coming at the request of the Belgians. ‘I spoke to my Belgian colleague and he asked me for help’ Knighton told BBC.
‘Russia is the biggest threat at the moment and their illegal invasion of Ukraine has shown what they are capable of,’ he added. ‘Russia is something we need to be concerned about. We know that they are carrying out acts of sabotage and are waging a hybrid war against us.’
However, the UK defence chief emphasised that it is not clear that the drones spotted in Belgium last week are Russian. ‘We don't know for sure,’ he says. ‘But they are disrupting airports and have been spotted above Belgian military bases. The UK and other NATO allies support each other, which is why we are sending equipment and personnel to Belgium.’
