NATO has launched a new operation, Eastern Sentry, to strengthen defenses along its eastern flank following Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace earlier this week.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the launch of Eastern Sentry on Friday, describing it as a mission to demonstrate the Alliance’s determination to defend its territory after drones entered Polish airspace and were shot down by NATO and Polish forces.

“We must, as NATO, make clear our resolve and our ability to defend our territory, and that is exactly what Eastern Sentry is designed to do,” Rutte said at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The operation will begin in the coming days and will draw on contributions from Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and other allies. Assets announced so far include two Danish F-16s and a frigate, three French Rafales, and four German Eurofighters.

Standing beside NATO’s top commander, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, Rutte condemned the drone incursions as “reckless and unacceptable,” regardless of Russia’s intent.

Moscow claimed the drones were aimed at Ukraine and not intended for Polish territory. Warsaw dismissed that explanation, insisting the incursion was deliberate.

Grynkewich said Eastern Sentry would not just increase troop numbers but also adopt a more flexible and integrated posture along NATO’s eastern flank, stretching from the Baltics to the Black Sea.

“Across the eastern flank, we will constantly adjust and change our posture in a manner that keeps the adversary off guard, but also responds to specific threats as we see them emerging,” he said.

The launch marks the first time NATO has engaged directly against Russian aerial activity since the Ukraine - Russia war, underscoring heightened tensions on the Alliance’s frontier.

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