What is NATO’s ‘Eastern Sentry’ Operation and Why Was It Launched?

In the wake of a wave of recent Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched a new defensive initiative called ‘Eastern Sentry’ the 32-member inter-governmental military alliance announced on Friday in a release.

The operation, which was announced NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, comes just days after a serious breach of Polish airspace earlier in the week.

“Eastern Sentry will add flexibility and strength to our posture and make clear that, as a defensive alliance, we are always ready to defend,” Rutte said, according to CNN.

The operation will involve multi-domain activities across NATO’s eastern flank: right from the High North to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, and will include air, ground, and intelligence components, CNN reported, quoting NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Alexus Grynkewich.

What Triggered It?

The move comes after at least 19 intrusions by Russian drones into Polish airspace were reported on Wednesday, many of which are believed to have crossed over from Belarus. Poland’s Interior Ministry, for its part, had said that 16 drones were recovered across hundreds of square miles.

Calling it an intentional act, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reportedly said on Friday, “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump had earlier suggested the breach “could have been a mistake,” while also adding, “I am not happy about anything having to do with that whole situation.”

What Will ‘Eastern Sentry’ Involve?

According to NATO’s Allied Command Operations, the mission will provide impetus to enhancing the alliance’s air defense and deterrence capabilities, especially in light of rising aerial threats.

So far, NATO member states have pledged the following assets:

• Denmark: Two F-16s and an anti-air warfare frigate
• France: Three Rafale jets
• Germany: Four Eurofighters
• United Kingdom: Expressed readiness to contribute

Insisting that the operation would be “flexible and agile,” with a focus on integrating new technologies like counter-drone sensors and weapons, Grynkewich said, “Although the immediacy of our focus is on Poland, this situation transcends the border of one nation. What affects one ally affects us all.”

Not an Isolated Case

“Russia’s recklessness in the air, along our eastern flank, is increasing in frequency,” CNN quoted Rutte as saying.

Eastern Sentry is based on the model of ‘Baltic Sentry,’, which is yet another NATO operation that was launched earlier this year after undersea cables were reportedly sabotaged in the Baltic Sea.

“Whether or not Russia’s actions were deliberate, Russia violated the NATO airspace,” Rutte reportedly said while adding, “And that is exactly what Eastern Sentry is designed to do.”

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