NATO is considering the possibility of intercepting Russian missiles as they approach the borders of the Alliance, Poland’s deputy foreign minister Andrzej Szejna said.
He told journalists that the military alliance is studying the issue of shooting down missiles flying toward the territory of the North Atlantic Alliance.
Warsaw has demanded an answer from Moscow about how a Russian missile, which was traveling around 800 kilometers an hour per hour at an altitude of 400 meters pierced Poland’s airspace early Sunday near the town of Oserdow.
“The Alliance is analyzing various concepts, including shooting down such missiles when they are very close to NATO borders. But this would have to be done with the consent of the Ukrainian side and with due regard to international consequences – then NATO missiles would hit Russian missiles outside their territory,” Szejna said.
The Polish deputy foreign minister also commented on the weekend incident when a Russian missile briefly violated Polish airspace while maneuvering to strike Ukrainian targets.
Andrzej Szejna emphasized that the Russian missile’s flight was intentional and had certain targets.
“It was rather a deliberate act, Russia did not want to provoke anything. They knew that if the missile moved further into Poland, it would be shot down. There would have been a response. It was planned to test the strength of the defense and vigilance of the Polish Armed Forces,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland said.
He emphasized that Russia should not impose its own rules on the Alliance.
“It has to get used to the fact that the NATO side, the democratic side, the EU side will start setting a certain tone when it comes to resolving the conflict in Ukraine,” Szejna said.
This is not the first time a Russian cruise missile has entered Polish territory. Late last December, a Russian cruise missile flew about 40 kilometers into Polish airspace and then turned back. Polish forces were ready to shoot it down but desisted.
