UK military personnel and equipment are being sent to Belgium to help bolster its defences after drone incursions on its airspace, suspected of being carried out by Russia.
The new head of the UK military, Sir Richard Knighton, told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that his Belgian counterpart asked for assistance earlier this week and that kit and personnel were on the way.
Belgium's main airport Zavantem was forced to close temporarily on Thursday night after drones were spotted nearby. They were also spotted in other locations, including a military base.
Sir Richard said it was not known if the incursions were by Russia, but added it was plausible they had been ordered by Moscow.
He added that the decision to aid Belgium had been made alongside Defence Secretary John Healey. Alongside NATO allies, he stated that the UK would help Belgium by providing our kit and capability which he said was already being deployed. On Friday, the German defence ministry said it would support Belgium with anti-drone measures after a request from Brussels.
About 3,000 Brussels Airlines passengers were affected by the disruption, and the carrier said it faced considerable costs from cancelling or diverting dozens of flights. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and the Belgian security services have said they suspect Russia, but Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken has previously admitted there is no accompanying evidence.
Francken noted, At first, drones flying over our military bases were seen as our problem. Now it has become a serious threat affecting civilian infrastructure across multiple European countries.
More broadly, Sir Richard stated that Russia represented the most pressing threat right now to Europe. He remarked, The illegal invasion of Ukraine has shown the barbaric nature of Russia's war efforts. He highlighted that sabotage and killings had been carried out by Russia on UK soil and emphasized the importance of strengthening against hybrid warfare.
In recent months, several drone sightings have caused major flight disruptions across Europe, including in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Despite some officials blaming hybrid warfare by Russia, the Kremlin has denied any involvement.
Pistorius suggested that the latest sightings could be linked to European Union discussions on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine with a €140bn loan. While there is no public proof of Russia's involvement, suspicions have been heightened by more serious airspace incursions by Russia in Eastern Europe.
The UK has recently sent RAF Typhoon jets to carry out defence missions over Poland as part of NATO's mission to bolster the eastern flank in response to incursions.
