Drones have changed the nature of the war in Ukraine - from the front lines to the rear. Russia uses strike aircraft such as the "Geran-2" (Shahed-136), which fly hundreds of kilometers and attack infrastructure, cities and energy facilities. Ukraine responds with its own long-range drones, which hit Russian airports and oil refineries. This "drone war" is no longer limited to the combat zone. Europe is feeling its effects more and more directly.
Mysterious drones over Europe
In recent months, unidentified drones have appeared around airports, military bases and energy facilities in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Lithuania. Almost always at night. They do not carry explosives, but they pose a serious threat to civil aviation and security.
Western intelligence agencies suspect Russia, which they say uses local intermediaries to test NATO's reactions and create chaos in countries helping Ukraine, but Moscow denies these allegations, and so far there is no evidence.
Belgium is becoming a key focus of these incidents - it is here that NATO headquarters, EU institutions and Euroclear, where about 200 billion euros of Russian assets are blocked, are located. It is no coincidence that it was around Brussels and Liege that the most such cases were registered.
Drones that cross borders
On September 9, about 20 Russian drones, flying over Ukraine, entered Poland, forcing the authorities to close four airports. NATO fighter jets were put on alert, some of the drones were shot down, and others fell in various places. This was one of the most serious violations of the Alliance's airspace since the beginning of the war.
This incident showed how vulnerable European borders remain to the new generation of unmanned threats.
The idea of a "drone wall"
In response, there is increasing talk of building a multi-tiered "drone wall" - a coordinated system of radars, sensors, jammers, optical means and weapons, covering the front line of Europe - from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
The goal is not a hard, impenetrable barrier, which is technologically impossible, but a combination of different protective means to intercept drones of different types, heights and speeds.
According to the EU's plans, the first components could enter into operation this year, and the full system could be operational by the end of 2027.
What could such protection look like?
Experts distinguish two main strategies:
"Hard destruction" - shooting down drones with missiles, artillery, fighter jets, helicopters or lasers.
"Soft destruction" - electronic jamming, navigation jamming, communication disruption.
But each of these measures has its limitations.
Low-flying drones are difficult to detect by conventional radars. Some Russian and Ukrainian models use fiber-optic navigation, which makes them resistant to electronic warfare. And a large attack by hundreds of drones at once can overload any system.
The problem: scale and cost
The biggest challenge is scale. Protecting thousands of kilometers of border requires a huge network of radar stations, sensors and 24/7 response teams.
The financial side is also complex: Europe already has to invest in ships, submarines, missiles, satellites and modernizing the army. The "anti-drone wall" is just one of many expensive needs. The funding is expected to come from a combination of European funds, national budgets and, in part, interest on frozen Russian assets.
A new arms race
Drone and counter-drone technologies are developing so rapidly that any new means of defense quickly becomes vulnerable. This creates a kind of "race" - the aggressor observes the defense, adapts it, and then bypasses it.
The right question: stop the drones or stop their sources?
As Europe debates defense, some experts are asking a more uncomfortable question: Isn't it more effective to attack the bases from which the drones are launched?
"It is better if such attacks don't happen at all," says one analyst. But a strike on a Russian platform would mean a direct NATO-Russia clash - a risk the Alliance has been avoiding since 2022.
The "drone wall" will not be a miracle solution, but it could become a vital part of European defense. Drones are no longer a technological novelty, but a strategic threat - from the front lines in Donbas to the airports in Brussels.
In a world where air warfare is cheap, unmanned and constant, Europe must build new defense systems that respond to the new era.