Russian drones drifting over European skies? That’s the fear gripping Belgium this week, and now, Britain’s stepping in to help.
The UK is sending military support to Belgium after a string of suspected Russian drone incursions forced airspace closures and sparked security alerts across the country. The move follows a direct request from Belgium’s military chief, confirmed by Sir Richard Knighton, the UK’s new Chief of the Defence Staff.
Sir Richard said equipment and personnel were already on their way to Belgium, describing the threat as “plausibly” linked to Moscow.
“The illegal invasion of Ukraine has shown the barbaric nature of Russia’s war efforts,” Sir Richard warned, adding that Russia remained “the most pressing threat right now” to Europe.
Chaos in the skies
The most dramatic moment came on Thursday night, when Brussels Airport was temporarily shut down after drones were spotted nearby, not just over civilian airspace, but around a military base too. The disruption left around 3,000 Brussels Airlines passengers stranded, with dozens of flights cancelled or diverted and the carrier facing “considerable costs.”
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken acknowledged the growing alarm, saying:
“At first, drones flying over our military bases were seen as our problem. Now it’s become a serious threat affecting civilian infrastructure across multiple European countries.”
Nato tightens ranks
The UK’s RAF 2 Force Protection Wing is expected to deploy, joining a coordinated NATO response that also includes Germany, which confirmed it would provide anti-drone support to Brussels.
Defence Secretary John Healey reinforced the message of unity, saying:
“As hybrid threats grow, our strength lies in our alliances and our collective resolve to defend, deter and protect our critical infrastructure and airspace.”
Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius echoed suspicions that Russia could be behind the incursions, though concrete evidence remains elusive. Moscow, unsurprisingly, denies any involvement, dismissing the claims as Western “hysteria.”
Europe on edge
These incidents follow similar drone incursions across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany, all NATO members and key supporters of Ukraine. While investigators have yet to tie the activity directly to the Kremlin, recent Russian airspace violations in Eastern Europe have done little to ease nerves.
Some analysts believe the timing is no coincidence, coming just as EU leaders discuss using frozen Russian assets to fund a €140 billion loan for Ukraine.
Funding the fight
The shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge welcomed the UK’s swift response but called for more urgency on boosting defence spending. The government recently pledged to raise military funding to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, aiming for 3% in the next parliament.
Sir Richard said the new funding levels were “more than I’ve ever known in my career,” but admitted that hybrid warfare, the blend of cyber, sabotage, and covert operations, was an area the UK “needs to strengthen.”
With tensions rising and drones drifting where they shouldn’t, Europe’s airspace has become the latest frontier in a shadowy new conflict, one fought with stealth, signal jammers and suspicion.
