A former NATO secretary general believes the alliance should use its air defenses to intercept Russian airstrikes and that missiles could be launched from Poland and Romania.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was NATO’s secretary general between 2009 and 2014, told the British publication iPaper that the North Atlantic Alliance states should use air defenses based in Eastern Europe to shoot down Russian missiles and drones aimed at Ukraine.
He said that NATO interceptors from neighboring Poland and Romania could shoot down Russian airstrikes targeting Ukraine. Business Insider.
“Some NATO members, such as the US, UK and France, deployed fighter jets earlier this year to intercept Iranian drones and missiles and assist Israel’s air defense. The military alliance could do right by helping Ukraine shoot down incoming Russian drones and missiles,” Rasmussen said.
NATO air and missile defense systems are linked to Ukraine
Also, Rasmussen suggested that NATO’s air and missile defense systems could be linked to Ukraine. Therefore, the former head of the organization believes that the initiative can “very effectively” protect western Ukraine, protect its defense sector and start reconstruction, while avoiding sending NATO troops to the country.
Most NATO members are reluctant to send troops to Ukraine or target Russian airstrikes from their own territory.
In response, Ukraine’s allies have sent nearly $118 billion in direct military aid since March, including air defense systems such as the US ATACMS, which Ukraine has used for disaster relief.
Even so, Ukraine’s air defense interception rate dropped from 46 percent in the past six months to 30 percent last month, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Based on data from Ukraine, it was 73% in the six-month period last year, the publication said.
Source: Business Insider
Release Date: 05-15-2024 21:02
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