NATO explains why it does not shoot down Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine

NATO assistant secretary general Boris Ruge has said that the Alliance does not agree to shoot down Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine, noting that the allies are defending themselves and providing assistance to Kyiv. The official said this in an interview with lithuanian public broadcaster LRT.

The journalist asked Ruge that if NATO sees a drone that is about to violate Polish airspace, wouldn't it be logical to shoot it down over Ukraine or Belarus?

"Our job is to protect the territory and airspace of our allies. We have no intention to shoot down drones or ballistic missiles approaching our airspace in Ukraine's airspace. Individual states offered, but we have not yet made such a decision," replied the assistant secretary general of the Alliance.

When the interviewer asked what the arguments for this approach were, the official reiterated that NATO's position was to defend its territory and skies, adding that the allies "provide enormous support to Ukraine."

In the context of the latter, he mentioned that in early November, Germany handed over to Ukraine additional Patriot systems.

"So, we are helping Ukraine to defend itself. It is very difficult, but we are constantly making great efforts to send Ukraine equipment to protect it from Russian air strikes," Ruge said.

However, he emphasized, there is "no decision, no agreement by NATO to launch operations in Ukrainian airspace."

• In November, former NATO secretary general Stoltenberg said that the Alliance did not close the airspace over Ukraine at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 because believed that this would lead to war with Moscow.