Russia’s violation of NATO countries’ airspaces is ‘potentially a serious escalation’, David Lammy has said, as he warned Vladimir Putin that the alliance will defend its territory
Russia’s violation of NATO countries’ airspaces is “potentially a serious escalation”, David Lammy has said, as he warned Vladimir Putin that the alliance will defend its territory.
The Deputy Prime Minister said NATO members can “face down” the Russian warmonger as he warned Putin will be up against a “very, very serious effort”.
RAF Typhoons, supported by an RAF Voyager aircraft, flew their first NATO air defence mission over Poland on Friday night following a reckless Russian drone incursion on the country earlier this month.
Pressed on whether enough was being done, given Russian jets were able to remain in Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes, Mr Lammy told Sky News: “I don’t think NATO is holding back. We sent a Typhoon and a Voyager to support NATO missions on the eastern flank, and of course, we are in close contact with both Poland and Estonia. This is a very serious breach. It’s potentially a serious escalation.”
READ MORE: RAF Typhoon jets join NATO air defence mission after Russia drone incursion
He added: “It’s also the case that, combined with 27 countries, of course we can face down Putin. He knows that and I want to reassure you that, whilst we take this seriously, he understands that he would be up against a very, very serious effort.”
On Friday night, UK fighter jets embarked on their first NATO policing mission over Poland since Russian violations of the country’s airspace – by patrolling the area where 19 drones were shot down earlier this month.
Seen very much as a defensive mission by those on board, the fighter jets, which were given the call signs “chaos 1-1” and “chaos 1-2”, policed the skies close to Belarusian and Russian airspace. Nothing significant was reported from the UK’s first NATO “Eastern Sentry” operation.
UK jets embarked on the mission 10 days after Russian drones entered Polish airspace and six days after another Russian drone was intercepted flying over Romania.
The incident over Poland prompted the nation’s prime minister Donald Tusk to warn that his country was the closest to “open conflict” it had been since the Second World War. Estonia’s foreign ministry also said three Russian jets entered its airspace without permission on Friday and remained there for 12 minutes.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the RAF pilots and crew were “standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Poland in defence of our shared security” by carrying out the mission. He said: “RAF Typhoons have now flown their first air defence mission over Poland, sending a clear signal: NATO airspace will be defended.
“I’m proud of the outstanding British pilots and air crew who took part in this successful operation to defend our Allies from reckless Russian aggression.”
More than 400 UK personnel are due to support the NATO patrolling missions in eastern Europe. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth, said: “Our partnership with NATO has never been stronger… We remain agile, integrated, and ready to project airpower at range.”
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