“In case of a proven threat, we are ready to defend our people.” This was stated by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Alexus Grynkewich. The American Air Marshal, who assumed his duties last January and is currently visiting the new Chief of Defense Staff of France, General Fabien Mandon, spoke in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde about the strategies and measures that the Atlantic Alliance is implementing to address potential threats against its member states.
NATO: “It’s no longer enough to secure order at our borders,” says Supreme Commander
Specifically, when asked “Many Europeans believe that Russia sends drones and fighter aircraft into NATO airspace whenever it wants. What do you tell them?” he noted the following: “We have proven our ability to intercept and shoot down such drones when they enter our airspace — as happened in Poland on September 10. At the same time, we are implementing a more flexible operational structure through Operation ‘Eastern Sentry’, which began on September 12. Its goal is to coordinate air surveillance and anti-aircraft defense across NATO’s entire eastern front. It’s no longer enough to secure order at our borders. A comprehensive approach is required. Drones are our priority and we believe we will soon develop more powerful interception capabilities. The threat is present and anything that escapes the security network can affect any of our countries.”
Subsequently, when asked if “the Alliance could shoot down a Russian aircraft, as Turkey did in 2015”, Alexus Grynkewich said that each case is evaluated separately and that shooting down a drone is clearly easier from a political and operational perspective. “In the case of fighter aircraft, there is clearly a greater risk of escalation, especially if there are human casualties. However, it is certain that in case of a proven threat, we are ready to take any necessary measure to protect our people,” he noted.
Furthermore, regarding whether the US should maintain its current military presence in Europe, the American Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said: “At this moment, a general review of American military presence worldwide is underway. As commander in Europe, I provide recommendations, but the final decision is political. The US is asking European allies to take on more, as China and the Indo-Pacific region now constitute a real military challenge. There will be adjustments in Europe, but in consultation with our allies. There will be no surprises.”
When asked what he thinks about Russian aggression, Alexus Grynkewich, whose father arrived in the US as an immigrant from Belarus, noted: “I grew up during the Cold War and joined the Air Force because of the Soviet threat and my belief in our freedoms. Today’s Russia operates differently: its senior leadership encourages, with incentives, lower-level commanders to take initiatives, even risky ones. This leads to reckless actions — as we have seen recently. They do things that we would never do without first examining the possibility of casualties.”
Kremlin: Accusations about Russian aircraft intrusions are “hysteria”
For its part, the Kremlin characterized as “hysteria” the accusations about Russian aircraft penetrating NATO countries’ airspace, one day after US President Donald Trump stated that the Alliance should shoot down Russian aircraft in case of violation. “There is such hysteria about our military pilots who allegedly violated certain rules and invaded airspace,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
These claims are “unfounded,” he continued, during the daily briefing for journalists. “Our air force respects all aviation rules and regulations,” he assured.
It should be recalled that yesterday, Tuesday (23/9), the US President emphasized that NATO member states must shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace, following repeated entries, within approximately two weeks, of aircraft or drones into Alliance territory.
Russia each time rejected any responsibility, but NATO warned Moscow yesterday that the “escalation” must stop and assured that it is ready to defend by any means necessary.
On Monday, Denmark was forced to close Copenhagen airport due to the presence of drones of unknown origin. Earlier, Poland, Romania, and Estonia had denounced violations of their airspace by Russian aircraft. On the night of September 9-10, approximately twenty drones penetrated Poland and Dutch fighters shot down three of them, an unprecedented event in the history of the Atlantic Alliance.
