NATO talks on how to fire down Russian missiles if they go too close to its borders
Poland has alleged that NATO is debating whether to shoot down Russian missiles if they near the alliance’s borders following a projectile that wandered into its airspace.
A local radio station was informed by Poland’s deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Szejna, that “many concepts are being analyzed within NATO… including for such missiles to be shot down when they are very close to the NATO border.”
“However, this would need to occur with the approval of the Ukrainian side and considering the global ramifications,” he continued.
Warsaw reported on Sunday night that a Russian cruise missile that had been fired at a target in western Ukraine had briefly entered Polish airspace, traveling roughly a mile.
Air defense systems and NATO F-16 fighter jets were activated by Poland’s defense ministry when the object crossed the alliance’s boundary close to Oserdow, a village in an agricultural area near the Ukrainian border.
Cruise missiles can alter their course in midair to go around defenses.
The minister of defense for Poland then informed reporters that if there had been any sign that the missile was approaching a Polish target, it would have been shot down.
Shooting down missiles before they enter NATO airspace from Ukraine is one defensive tactic on the table.
But Moscow might use this as an excuse to escalate the conflict and make it extend beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Russian missile and drone incursions into NATO airspace have not elicited a response, despite warnings that the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause may be activated in the event of such an incident.
The United States declared on Tuesday that it was prepared to uphold its obligations under NATO and protect the alliance in the event of an assault.
Pentagon official Sabrina Singh responded, “What the administration says repeatedly is that we will defend every inch of NATO,” when questioned about the Polish claims. We would defend every square inch of NATO in the event that the ally of the alliance is attacked, which we really want never to happen.
