Russian Drones: Violation of NATO Airspace is Unacceptable

Editorial

14:07 JST, September 19, 2025

Regardless of the intention, violating another nation’s airspace constitutes a grave breach of international law and is unacceptable. It is necessary to respond resolutely to Russia’s illegal actions and prevent further infringements on sovereignty.

Russian military drones entered Polish airspace and then Romanian airspace this month. Fighter jets, including those of the Polish military, shot down several of the about 20 drones. The Romanian military also scrambled its fighter jets and tracked the drones to the border area.

Poland and Romania both border Ukraine, which is facing Russian aggression, and are both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This reportedly marks the first time a NATO member state has shot down Russian drones within its airspace since Russia began its aggression.

It is quite natural that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned Russia, calling the violation “reckless” and “dangerous” behavior.

It is hard to imagine that Russian drones intended for Ukraine accidentally crossed the borders. This should be viewed as an extremely malicious and dangerous provocation with various motives.

Both Russia and Ukraine are using drones extensively in attacks, as they are inexpensive to manufacture and minimize casualties among their own military personnel.

In this case, there is a possibility that Russia aimed to exhaust the NATO side by deploying drones into NATO airspace, creating a situation in which NATO is forced to respond by scrambling fighter jets or launching expensive interceptor missiles.

NATO’s air defense system is primarily designed to counter airstrikes by missiles and military aircraft. There is an urgent need for NATO to make preparations to intercept and neutralize drones at low cost.

Some analyses suggest that Russia is engaging in repeated provocations at a level that would not invite counteroffensives in order to test how NATO will respond.

NATO held an emergency meeting, stating that Russia’s airspace violations threaten the territorial integrity and security of its member states. In addition, Germany and France decided to dispatch fighter jets to support airspace surveillance over Poland.

It is crucial for NATO as a whole to strengthen its air defense system.

A month has passed since U.S. President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August and announced he would mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Yet Putin has since intensified attacks, threatening European security.

The illusion that Putin will compromise should be abandoned. This month, the Trump administration approved the provision of surface-to-air missiles and other weapons to Ukraine via NATO. The hope is that the administration will emphasize its solidarity with Europe and intensify support for Ukraine.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 19, 2025)