NATO allies should use anti-aircraft systems to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukraine from the territory of Poland, Nico Lange, senior researcher at the Munich Security Conference, stated in an interview with Tagesschau.
As Ukraine flounders on the battlefield amid manpower and hardware losses in the face of Russia's steady advance, Lange insisted:
“From now on, partners should use the numerous 'Patriot' systems on our eastern borders to shoot down all Russian missiles and drones that they have within range over Ukraine," referencing primarily the alliance’s air defense systems in eastern Poland.
“This would be fully covered under international law,” Lange assured, citing as an example the assistance of Israel's allies in repelling an Iranian strike last week.
Lange, who served as chief of staff at the German Ministry of Defense from 2019-2022, argues the need for “unconventional solutions” as Western support for Ukraine requires “a change in strategy.” At the same time, in the long term, he called for increasing the production of air defense systems in Europe.
It is hardly a surprise that use of Polish territory was suggested by Nico Lange, considering the level of confrontational anti-Russian rhetoric being spouted by that country's authorities.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has declared in Brussels that NATO was setting up a “special mission” in Ukraine, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Poland was in a “pre-war state” with Russia. Sikorski provocatively stated in mid-March that “NATO forces are already in Ukraine, and this is not a secret to anyone.” Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, who revealed that he visits Poland’s eastern border almost every day, earlier claimed that “Russia is rebuilding the evil empire.”
Poland is preparing its military personnel for entry into Ukraine, with some already arriving in the operation zone in small groups under the guise of mercenaries, Vladimir Rogov, a senior official of the Zaporozhye regional administration, told Sputnik on Friday.
As for the brazen suggestion put forward by the German researcher, it comes as Ukraine scrambles to protect its air defenses. Russia has been grinding its way through the sophisticated weaponry provided to the Kiev regime as part of NATO's ongoing proxy war. As a result, Ukraine has been haranguing Poland, Romania, and Spain to supply it with their own Patriot air defense systems, the Financial Times reported earlier this month, citing insiders. At the same time, European leaders are said to be unwilling to provide Ukraine with more Patriot batteries, as they also need to maintain their own defense capabilities.