FLASH
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Russia's open violation of Polish airspace has raised alarm in Eastern Europe, NATO responds with a new defensive operation, while tension with Moscow is reaching boiling point...
After an unprecedented violation of its airspace by about 20 Russian drones, Poland has decided to respond with force. The Polish military announced on Saturday that it had scrambled fighter jets to counter air threats coming from northwestern Ukraine, near the Polish border, where Russian drones are regularly operating near the contact line.
Another drastic measure was taken in the city of Lublin, where authorities temporarily closed the airport to free up airspace for military operations. A flight from Rome was diverted to Katowice, while several others were delayed. For the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine, Poland experienced for real how close the war has come to its territory.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in a public statement, confirmed that “preventive operations” have been launched by the air forces of Poland and its allies, while ground-based air defense systems have been placed on full alert. These actions are not symbolic – they mark a new phase of confrontation between NATO and Russia, where border incidents have the potential to erupt into direct military conflict.
In this dangerous climate, NATO has reacted immediately by announcing a new defensive operation called “Eastern Sentry”. The aim of this operation is to strengthen the alliance’s eastern border, through the integration of ground and air forces in military bases across Poland, the Baltic states and Romania. Key countries such as Germany, the UK, France and Denmark have confirmed their participation in this initiative – a concrete demonstration of allied solidarity at a time when collective security is being seriously tested.
Operation Eastern Sentry is not just an ordinary maneuver – it is a direct response to Russia’s new strategy: to test the limits of NATO’s response without formally crossing the treaty’s red lines. Drones that “erroneously” fly into NATO airspace are a familiar Russian tactic to gauge the West’s nerves and uncover operational weaknesses.
Russia is taking the war closer to NATO's borders to exert political pressure, create diplomatic chaos and test the alliance's readiness. But this time, the response seems more determined. The fact that the Polish military has taken control of the airspace with extreme measures shows that nothing is being left to chance.
For Albania and other NATO member states in the Balkans, these developments are a wake-up call. The events in Lublin, Warsaw or on the Baltic borders could be repeated on every corner of the alliance's eastern border. Tensions are now global, and NATO's intervention through "East Guard" is a reminder that the world is entering a new phase where security is no longer guaranteed, but must be defended every day, on every border.
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