Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has called for British forces to intercept Russian drones and missiles over Ukraine, arguing it is a "logical next step" and consistent with international law. Wallace's remarks follow an incident where former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other officials narrowly avoided a Russian drone strike near the Ukrainian-Polish border.
Wallace suggested that shooting down incoming munitions over Ukrainian territory, rather than waiting for them to potentially enter NATO airspace, would not be considered an escalation by Russia. He emphasized that such actions are permissible under international law as the targets are over Ukraine, not Russian territory.
Poland has been at the forefront of advocating for NATO allies to increase their involvement in protecting Ukraine's skies. However, these calls have largely gone unheeded by alliance partners until recent events.
Ukraine expert Dr. Olga Matveieva of the University of Paderborn noted that Russia's "incessant provocations" can no longer be ignored by NATO, and that Ukrainians are growing weary of the West's perceived inaction.
Russia has escalated its targeting of Ukraine's neighbors, including Poland, Romania, and Moldova, with a variety of aerial munitions. The potential for Western forces to engage Russian warheads directly over Ukraine marks a significant shift from NATO's current policy.
While some NATO member states maintain that engaging targets over the conflict zone itself would be an escalatory move, institutions like the Institute for the Study of War argue that this passive approach is no longer viable given Russia's increasingly aggressive tactics towards NATO states.
The Institute for the Study of War also urged NATO members to increase air defense capabilities for Ukraine and provide the means to strike Russian drone and missile launch sites. Russia has previously reacted with hostility to Western military support for Ukraine, including the provision of long-range missiles.
In a separate development, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the death of a second British soldier in Ukraine. The soldier died following a "road traffic incident" on Saturday. This follows the death of Lance Corporal George Hooley in December, who was killed while testing defensive capabilities away from front lines.