UK Army to help protect Belgium after drone raids

Laura Kuensberg and

Amy Walker

UK military personnel and equipment are being sent to Belgium to help it bolster its defenses following drone incursions into its airspace, allegedly carried out by Russia.

The new head of the UK army, Sir Richard Knighton, told the BBC with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday that his Belgian counterpart asked for help earlier this week and that equipment and personnel were on the way.

Belgium’s main Zavantem airport was forced to temporarily close on Thursday night after drones were detected nearby. They were also seen in other locations, including a military base.

Sir Richard said it was not known whether the raids were carried out by Russia, but added it was “plausible” they had been ordered by Moscow.

He added that the decision to help Belgium was made together with Defense Secretary John Healey.

Along with NATO allies, he added that the UK would help Belgium by “providing our equipment and capability” which he said was already being deployed. On Friday, the German Defense Ministry said it would support Belgium with anti-drone measures following a request from Brussels.

Some 3,000 Brussels Airlines passengers were affected by the disruption, and the airline said it faced “considerable costs” from canceling or diverting dozens of flights.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and the Belgian security services have said they suspect Russia, but Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has previously admitted there is no evidence to support it.

“At first, drones flying over our military bases were considered our problem,” Francken said earlier this week.

“It has now become a serious threat affecting civil infrastructure in several European countries.”

A Screenshot Showing Sir Richard Knighton, Dressed In An Raf Senior Officers' Uniform And Wearing A Poppy, While Speaking To The Bbc'S Laura Kuenssberg. — Drone raids over Western Europe could “viably” have been sent by the Kremlin, Sir Richard said.

More broadly, Sir Richard said Russia was “the most pressing threat right now” to Europe.

“The illegal invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated the barbaric nature of Russia’s war efforts,” he told the program.

He added that Russia had carried out sabotage and murder on UK soil, and that so-called hybrid warfare is where “we [The UK] We need to get stronger.”