Operation Eastern Sentry
NATO operation in Eastern Europe since 2025
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Operation Eastern Sentry (or Eastern Sentinel) is a NATO operation to protect territory along NATO's eastern flank,[1] made in response to an Article 4 declaration by the Polish government in response to a Russian drone incursion into Poland on 9–10 September 2025.[2][5] Operation Eastern Sentry was launched two days later on 12 September 2025, without a stated end date.[5] The primary purpose of the operation is to increase NATO's capacity—in the air, at sea, and on the ground—to counter military threats posed by Russia, in particular to intercept Russian drones violating the airspace of NATO member states.[5] Whereas this responsibility was previously carried out by the individual member states, Eastern Sentry established a collective policy and conduct for aerial defence on NATO's eastern flank.[5]
Denmark two F-16s, one Iver Huitfeldt class frigate
France three Rafales
Germany four Eurofighters[2]
Italy two F-35As, one Samp/t missile system in Estonia
United Kingdom two Eurofighters[3]
Spain one Eurofighter[4]
| Operation Eastern Sentry | |
|---|---|
| |
| Operational scope | NATO's deterrent and defence operation to protect Europe's eastern flank.[1] |
| Location | |
| Date | 12 September 2025 – present |
| Executed by |
|
Background
On 14 January 2025, NATO had already launched Baltic Sentry in order "to enhance NATO's military presence in the Baltic Sea and improve Allies' ability to respond to destabilizing acts."[6]
Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland stated that the Russian drone incursion of Polish airspace had brought Poland "the closest to an armed conflict since the Second World War."[5] Stating that the Russian drone incursion was still being investigated, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said:
Whilst this was the largest concentration of violations of NATO airspace that we have seen, what happened on Wednesday was not an isolated incident. Russia's recklessness in the air along our eastern flank is increasing in frequency. We have seen drones violate our airspace in Romania, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Whether intentional or not, it is dangerous and unacceptable. (...) Allies expressed full solidarity with Poland, and denounced Russia's reckless behaviour. (...) [W]e are prepared and ready to defend every inch of Allied territory. We stood up Baltic Sentry at the beginning of this year, to help safeguard critical infrastructure from reckless behaviour in the Baltic Sea. And today, General Grynkewich and I are here to announce that NATO is launching Eastern Sentry, to bolster our posture even further along our eastern flank."
— Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, Press Conference, 12 September 2025[5][7]
See also
- 2022 missile explosion in Poland
- Bucharest Nine, an organization consisting of nine post-Soviet NATO members created to counter Russian aggression
- Violations of non-combatant airspaces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Zapad 2025, Russian-Belarusian joint strategic military exercise, conducted in Belarus on 12–16 September 2025
- List of NATO operations