NATO considers shooting down Russian missiles near its borders – Polish Foreign Ministry

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Shejna has said that NATO is considering the option of shooting down Russian missiles when they fly towards North Atlantic Alliance territory.

Source: Polish radio station RMF FM, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: “NATO is analysing various concepts, including that such missiles should be shot down when they are very close to the NATO border – but this would have to be done with the consent of the Ukrainian side and with due regard for international consequences. Then NATO missiles would hit Russian missiles outside the territory of the Treaty [Alliance – ed.].”

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Details: Shejna noted that the violation of Polish airspace by a Russian missile this weekend was a test of the strength of the Polish Armed Forces’ defences and vigilance. He said that the Russian Federation did not want to provoke anything, because the Russians knew that if the missile moved further into Poland, it would be shot down.

He stressed that Russia should not impose any rules on the Alliance. 

“The aggressor has to get used to the fact that the NATO side, the side of democratic states and the EU will start setting a certain tone when it comes to resolving the conflict in Ukraine,” Sheyna said.

“We take Putin’s threats very seriously. He has shown that he is capable of anything. So far, in addition to hundreds of thousands of wounded and killed on both sides, he has succeeded in getting Sweden and Finland to join NATO. The next NATO summit will take place in July. We have a consolidation of the EU countries, the restoration of the Weimar Triangle,” added Shejna.

Background:

• On 24 March at 04:23, Polish airspace was violated by a cruise missile launched from a long-range Russian warplane. The missile entered Polish airspace near the village of Oserdów in the Lublin voivodeship and remained there for 39 seconds. 
• Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s Minister of National Defence, stated that Poland would have downed the Russian missile if there had been any signs that it was heading for a target on Polish territory.
• Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the North Atlantic Alliance should shoot down Russian air targets that fly into the airspace of NATO member states.

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