‘Nato is responding with unity and strength’ to Russian threats, says John Healey
RAF Typhoon jets will be deployed within days to shoot down drones over Poland and other Nato allies in eastern Europe if necessary, after last week’s incursion of 19 uncrewed Russian aircraft into Poland.
The British fighters, based at Coningsby in Lincolnshire, will join Nato’s new Eastern Sentry mission working alongside French, German and Danish counterparts who are acting as reinforcements for Dutch F-35s and Polish F-16s.
John Healey, the defence secretary, said Nato was “responding with unity and strength” to the threats and that Typhoons would be ready to attack Russian drones flying over Nato countries if required to do so.
“If you’ve got drones that are putting Polish lives at risk, then Nato will take the action to take them out,” Healey said, adding the Typhoons were part of a broader mission “to defend Nato airspace”.
