NATO has launched an “Eastern Sentry” to bolster the defense of Europe’s eastern flank following Russia’s drone breach of Poland’s airspace earlier this week, Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced Friday.
“It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied airspace,” Rutte said.
Why It Matters
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has accused Moscow of deliberately violating sovereign airspace by sending 19 Russian drones into Polish airspace on Tuesday evening. The drones were immediately shot down.
The incident is the largest drone breach of NATO airspace, and the first time a member of the alliance has engaged Russian military assets over its territory. It is also a major escalation of tensions between NATO and Russia, which have edged closer to conflict over the Ukraine war.
What To Know
On Friday, speaking at a joint press conference with Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Rutte said that the Eastern Sentry would add “flexibility and strength” to NATO’s posture.
The announcement follows a meeting by the North Atlantic Council where allies expressed solidarity with Poland and denounced Russia’s actions.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte addresses the media at NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 12, 2025.
Virginia Mayo/AP
Territorial defense officers clean up debris from the destroyed roof of a house, after multiple Russian drones struck in Wyryki, Poland, on September 11, 2025.
Czarek Sokolowski/AP
What Is NATO’s New Eastern Sentry?
Operation Eastern Sentry aims to boost NATO’s defenses along its eastern flank in Europe, from the Baltic States in the north down through countries like Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, in response to escalating Russian aggression, including its recent drone incursions into Polish airspace.
It includes a range of military assets, including fighter jets, naval units, and air and ground‐based systems.
NATO members, including Denmark, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have all pledged their support for the mission, with the number of allies growing.
Denmark will contribute two F-16s and an anti-air warfare frigate. France has pledged three Rafale twin-jet fighter aircraft, and Germany will provide four Eurofighters to the Eastern Sentry mission. Rutte said the additional forces would help NATO deter aggression and safeguard Europe’s eastern flank.
Rutte added that NATO members in Europe and North America would work together to protect critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
“This is why we have forward land forces deployed in eight countries, with contributions from every Ally supporting these contingents, and plans in place to scale up our presence if and when required,” Rutte said.
Russia Drones in Poland Airspace: What We Know
Poland says that it shot down 19 Russian drones over Polish airspace late on Tuesday evening.
Moscow has denied that the drones shot down over Poland were from Russia.
“The Polish side once again failed to present evidence of the Russian origin of the objects that entered Polish airspace (and there is no reason to expect that it will), and completely groundlessly accused Russia of provocative actions,” the Russian embassy told Newsweek in a statement.
However, many European leaders view the drone incident as a deliberate provocation by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and a test of both NATO and the United States’ resolve in taking action against Russia. It may also complicate President Donald Trump‘s negotiations with Putin on ending the war in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Poland has also restricted its airspace in the east of the country for the next three months following the drone incursion.
How Many Countries Are in NATO?
NATO currently has 32 members. The alliance was originally founded in 1949 with 12 original members: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, and Portugal.
However, it has expanded over time, with a significant growth in membership following the Cold War, to include many countries from Central and Eastern Europe.
What People Are Saying
SACEUR General Alexus G. Grynkewich said Friday: “The violation of Poland’s airspace earlier this week is not an isolated incident and impacts more than just Poland. While a full assessment of the incident is ongoing, NATO is not waiting; we are acting.”
NATO Secretary-General Rutte said, at the North Atlantic Council meeting this week: “What happened on Wednesday was not an isolated incident. Russia’s recklessness in the air along our eastern flank is increasing in frequency.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, on Friday on X: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday, referring to the drone breach: “I don’t like it, I’m not happy about it. The whole thing, I’m not happy about.”
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on X that the breach was the “most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental. Russia’s war is escalating, not ending. We must raise the cost on Moscow, strengthen support for Ukraine, and invest in Europe’s defense.”
What Happens Next
The Eastern Sentry mission begins immediately, with multiple nations pledging to provide more air and military support to bolster Europe’s eastern flank.
Poland has also triggered NATO’s Article 4 mechanism, which initiates consultations among allies on how to respond to a significant threat to a member.
Update 9/12/25, 3:44 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.