The Belgian military will certainly shoot down Russian drones if they enter Belgian airspace and are large in size, said the Chief of the General Staff of the Belgian Armed Forces, Gen. Frederic Vansina, in an interview with a local media outlet, BTA reported.
He added that smaller drones will be assessed individually, taking into account the dangers of causing damage from debris when shooting down the aircraft. Shooting down drones is not that simple, it is a whole science, we are studying the issue, the general pointed out. According to him, a pan-European solution is being sought on what actions to take in the event of a drone threat.
We are observing Russian actions - cutting cables, spreading disinformation, cyberattacks, sending drones, assassination attempts - all of this can hardly be called good neighborliness, commented Gen. Vansina. We are in a state between peace and war. For now, I do not expect a direct clash between Russia and (another) European country, he added. According to him, the danger will increase when the war in Ukraine is over, and Moscow's imperial ambitions have been preserved, against the backdrop of increasingly complex transatlantic relations.
The general specified that Belgium has not canceled, but suspended, compulsory military service. According to him, requiring young men to serve in the army is not a good approach and so far there is "great enthusiasm" for voluntary enlistment in the ranks of the armed forces.