Russia assures: drones in Europe are not its attack, but threats and incidents with unmanned aircraft continue
The tension surrounding the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the European region continues to escalate amid new accusations and statements by Russian officials.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, declared that Russia has never directed drones or missiles towards EU or NATO countries.
In response to questions from journalists, he emphasized that Russia seeks to avoid conflicts and does not target civilian objects, although acknowledging that so-called ‘incidents’ do occasionally happen.
Lavrov firmly stated that Russia has no intentions of invasion or aggression towards Europe and warned that any acts of aggression against Russia would be met with a decisive response, threatening harsh measures in case of provocations.This statement comes amidst ongoing incidents involving drone incursions.
Recently, around twenty Russian drones infiltrated Polish airspace for the first time on September 10, with some flying nearly 300 kilometers inside the country’s territory.
Several European airports, including those in Denmark and Oslo, were shut down due to unidentified flying objects in the sky.
On September 27, the Schiphol Airport—the Netherlands’ main airport—closed its runways after a drone was spotted, and Vilnius Airport twice suspended operations on the same day owing to suspected drone activity.
The series of these events indicates an escalating security threat in the region, prompting regional countries to strengthen their defenses and cooperate more closely to counter potential drone attacks, which could have serious consequences for regional stability.