Authorities closed Brussels Zaventem Airport on Tuesday night after multiple drone sightings above the airfield. Belgium’s public broadcaster VRT reported that officials suspended all departures and arrivals following the initial sighting. The airport briefly reopened before closing again after a second drone appeared.
Liège Airport, which had accepted diverted flights from Brussels, also suspended operations after a separate drone incident. A spokesperson for Skeyes, Belgium’s civil airspace authority, confirmed the first sighting occurred around 8 p.m. local time, forcing flights to divert to Ostend-Bruges and Charleroi Brussels South.
The drone intrusions occurred as both NATO and the European Union maintained high alert amid increasing airspace violations linked to Russia.
NATO and EU Respond to Rising Airspace Threats
NATO and EU officials have intensified monitoring after a wave of suspected Russian airspace incursions in recent weeks. At the end of September, NATO issued a warning to Moscow, vowing to defend its members against any further violations.
The warning followed Russian drones being shot down over Poland and reports of unauthorized jet activity over Estonia. On September 10, a drone incident in Poland marked the first direct NATO-Russia encounter since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Estonia later accused three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets of entering its airspace for 12 minutes without clearance, an allegation the Kremlin denied.
Eastern Sentry Initiative Launched to Counter Aggression
The incidents provoked alarm among European leaders and renewed debate over NATO’s readiness against Russian aggression. In response, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the creation of the Eastern Sentry program to strengthen deterrence along the alliance’s eastern flank.
“We see drones breaching our airspace,” Rutte said. “Whether deliberate or accidental, it is unacceptable. All allies stand firmly with Poland. We must confront aggression and defend every member of this alliance.”
NATO leaders continue to monitor Europe’s skies closely, as drone activity and unauthorized flights heighten tensions across the continent.
