The United Kingdom is dispatching military personnel and equipment to Belgium to assist in strengthening its defenses following a series of drone incursions into Belgian airspace, suspected to be orchestrated by Russia. Sir Richard Knighton, the newly appointed head of the UK military, revealed in an interview with BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Belgium had requested assistance earlier this week. The UK has responded by deploying resources to aid its NATO ally. The incursions, which occurred on Thursday night, forced the temporary closure of Brussels’ Zavantem Airport and were also reported near a military base. While the origin of the drones remains unconfirmed, Sir Richard acknowledged that it is ‘plausible’ they were directed by Moscow. The decision to support Belgium was made in collaboration with UK Defence Secretary John Healey. Germany has also pledged to provide anti-drone measures following a request from Brussels. The disruptions have impacted approximately 3,000 Brussels Airlines passengers, with the carrier incurring significant costs due to flight cancellations and diversions. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken emphasized that the drone incursions, initially perceived as a localized issue, have now escalated into a broader threat affecting civilian infrastructure across Europe. Sir Richard further highlighted Russia as the ‘most pressing threat’ to Europe, citing its ‘barbaric’ actions in Ukraine and its involvement in sabotage and killings on UK soil. Recent months have seen a surge in drone sightings across Europe, including in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, with some officials attributing these incidents to Russian ‘hybrid warfare.’ The Kremlin has denied any involvement. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that the incursions could be linked to EU discussions about using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Despite the lack of public evidence, suspicions have been fueled by Russia’s increased airspace violations in Eastern Europe, involving fighter jets and larger attack drones. In response, the UK has deployed RAF Typhoon jets to participate in NATO defense missions over Poland, reinforcing the alliance’s eastern flank.