Saw this in Newsweek, I wonder if the "four NATO officials" were engaging in a directed leak...
NATO allies are discussing easing rules for pilots to permit them to shoot down Russian aircraft, according to a report by the Financial Times. The news comes as alliance members consider a tougher approach against Moscow following a spate of alleged airspace violations, drone swarms, and sabotage plots in Europe.
The FT, citing four unidentified NATO officials, said NATO allies are discussing a more forceful response to increasingly provocative Russian actions, including easing restrictions on pilots to allow them to open fire on Russian aircraft and deploying armed drones along the border with Russia. The asymmetric cost of scrambling fighter jets to intercept drones is a running concern for the alliance, which is seeking a financially sustainable solution. NATO members on the front line with Russia, backed by France and Britain, initiated the discussions, which have since broadened to a larger group in the 32-strong alliance, the newspaper reported.
Von der Leyen, referring to airspace violations, said on Wednesday:
“These incidents are calculated to linger in the twilight of deniability. This is not random harassment, it is a coherent and escalating campaign to unsettle our citizens, test our resolve, divide our union and weaken our support for Ukraine and it is time to call it by its name—this is hybrid warfare.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a Telegram post this week:
“European cities have been gripped by an epidemic of UFDs, or unidentified flying drones. UAVs are everywhere: near military bases, at airports, over fields and above cities. Whose they are is unclear.”
The four NATO officials told the FT that there is no timeline or obligation to agree on any change in posture, and a shift may not be announced publicly.