'They must stop' — NATO promises robust response to Russian airspace violations

NATO on Sept. 23 pledged to deliver a "robust" response to Russia's violations of allied airspace.

"Russia bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives. They must stop," NATO said in a statement. "Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions... Our commitment to Article 5 is ironclad."

The North Atlantic Council convened under Article 4 at Estonia's request following the Sept. 19 incident in which three armed Russian MiG-31 jets flew more than 10 minutes inside Estonian territory. NATO scrambled allied aircraft to intercept the planes.

NATO's statement came after airports in Copenhagen and Oslo suspended operations for several hours late on Sept. 22 following sightings of drones, with Denmark saying it does not rule out Russian involvement.

Earlier in September, about 20 Russian drones also violated Poland's airspace.

"On Sept. 10, the (North Atlantic) Council held consultations in response to the large-scale violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones," NATO said. "Several other allies – including Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Romania – have also recently experienced airspace violations by Russia. We express our full solidarity with all allies whose airspace has been breached."

NATO also said that "allies will not be deterred by these and other irresponsible acts by Russia from their enduring commitments to support Ukraine."

"We do not want to see a continuation of this dangerous pattern by Russia, intentional or not, but we stand ready and willing to continue to defend every inch of allied territory," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a briefing earlier in the day.  "If this is not intentional, then it is blatant incompetence."

Norway on Sept. 23 also reported repeated violations of its airspace this year. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Russian military aircraft entered Norwegian skies on three occasions between April and August, calling the breaches "not acceptable."

While smaller in scale than recent violations against Estonia, Poland and Romania, Store said the incidents were "events we take very seriously."

NATO members have stepped up readiness in response to the growing pressure. Lithuania's parliament on Sept. 23 approved amendments allowing the military to more quickly shoot down drones that pose a threat to the country's airspace, according to broadcaster LRT.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said the new rules close legal gaps that had prevented swift action against modern aerial threats.