The North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Friday announced the launch of “Eastern Sentry”, two days after the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones.
Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the operation at a press conference alongside Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich.
Eastern Sentry, a military activity aimed at strengthening NATO’s posture along the eastern flank, will commence in the coming days.
The operation will involve allied assets and feature both traditional capabilities and novel technologies, including elements designed to address challenges associated with drones.
The Secretary General deplored Russia’s increasing “reckless” actions, noting that what happened in Poland this week “was not an isolated incident.”
Assuring that Eastern Sentry will bolster regional security, Rutte praised General Grynkewich for guiding its design and Admiral Pierre Vandier, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, for innovative solutions to new challenges.
The NATO chief emphasized that the forward land forces currently deployed in eight countries were part of the strategy to deter aggression across Europe.
On Wednesday, NATO invoked Article 4 of the alliance treaty after Poland’s authorities confirmed the destruction of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that had violated national airspace.
Russia’s Defense Ministry denied the act was deliberated, saying the targets were Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Vinnitsa, Lvov, and the Ivano-Frankovsk, Khmelnitsky, and Zhitomir regions.
NATO launches ’Eastern Sentry’ after Russian drone incursion into Poland
