NATO to Deploy Additional Patrol Aircraft to the Black Sea Following Drone Attacks
The decision follows a series of attacks on vessels, which reportedly resulted in fatalities and missing sailors.
Colonel Martin O’Donnell stated that allies have already deployed or will deploy maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, drones, intelligence personnel, and explosive ordnance disposal expert teams to the region. According to him, NATO also intends to enhance situational awareness through additional sensors and data sharing.
The discussion took place after a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. NATO, Bulgaria, and Romania have not attributed the recent attacks to any specific country; military analysts have almost certainly linked them to Russia, while the Kremlin has denied involvement.
On October 5, Romania reported two fatalities after a vessel caught fire and sank in the Black Sea. Last week, seven sailors went missing following strikes on chemical tankers off the Romanian coast; in total, 23 sailors have been reported missing or killed during this period.
