20 September 2024

Calls Grow For NATO Members To Help Ukraine Shoot Down Russian Drones And Missiles

Tony Wesolowsky

NATO, whose military aid and support has been vital for Ukraine in its war with Russia, is facing growing calls to do more to fend off Russian missiles and drone strikes — a few of which have violated NATO members’ airspace.

Romania and Latvia, both NATO members, have recently reported that Russian military drones had violated their airspace. Neither country interceded militarily, although Romania did have military jets shadow the drone and later said it lacked the legislation to act.

Romania also said that “pieces of a Russian drone” had been found at an “impact site” on the outskirts of the village of Periprava in Tulcea, along the Romanian-Ukrainian border. Latvia said that the drone had flown into the country’s airspace from Belarus and crashed in the municipality of Rezekne.

While rare, incidents of drones and missiles, nearly all believed to be Russian, have crossed or crashed into states neighboring Ukraine — including Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, and now Latvia — since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

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