The German Army's Inspector General, Gen. Carsten Breuer, has reaffirmed Germany's determination to defend its NATO allies on the alliance's eastern flank. He made the assurances during a visit to a major military exercise in Lithuania, DPA reported, BTA reported.
The statement by the highest-ranking German military officer came after Russia's attack on Ukraine this week, during which Poland said 19 Russian drones had deliberately entered its airspace. This led to the intervention of the Polish Air Force and NATO allies, who shot down the drones. This was the first time that Russian drones had been shot down over NATO territory.
"The recent violation of Polish airspace by Russia has once again shown how important our involvement is. "Our contribution to the defense of NATO's eastern flank is reliable - we are ready to defend every inch of the alliance's territory," Breuer told DPA.
The German government said yesterday that the Bundeswehr would "expand and extend" air surveillance over Poland as part of European efforts to increase the security of NATO's eastern flank.
Breuer stressed that the ongoing German-led "Quadriga 2025" exercises in the Baltics include realistic scenarios for logistical support for troops in a potential conflict. This is the first time such maneuvers have been held on such a scale.
Earlier today, Belarus and Russia began their own exercises, called "West 2025", with the training taking place at training grounds in both countries, as well as in the Baltic and Barents Seas, DPA recalls.