Pavel: Russian airspace violations must be met with force

President Petr Pavel said repeated violations of NATO airspace by Russian aircraft and drones should not be tolerated and require an adequate response to show strength. Speaking to high-school students in the Karlovy Vary region, Pavel argued that Russia respects force and views restraint as weakness. He added that this does not mean every breach would lead to shooting down a plane, but if violations continue, tougher measures may become necessary. Pavel recalled a past incident when Turkey shot down a Russian jet after repeated incursions, which then stopped further provocations. He warned that Moscow tests NATO’s air-defence resolve and urged decisive action to deter future breaches.