Russia Says No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Would Provoke Conflict with NATO

(MENAFN) Russia’s Deputy Security Council Head Dmitry Medvedev declared on Monday that establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine would inevitably spark a direct conflict between Moscow and NATO. Speaking via Telegram, Medvedev dismissed NATO’s newly launched Eastern Sentry operation—aimed at protecting allies on the alliance’s eastern frontier—as “amused” but issued a stark warning about its consequences.

Medvedev stated, “But seriously, the implementation of the provocative idea of … creating a ‘no-fly zone over Ukraine’ and the ability for NATO countries to shoot down our UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) will mean only one thing - a war between NATO and Russia.”

The Russian official also addressed Western moves to potentially use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s military efforts. He vowed that Moscow would pursue the European Union states “until the end of time” if they attempted to seize these resources. “Russia will do so ‘in all possible ways’ and ‘in all possible international and national courts.’ ‘And in some cases, out of court,’” Medvedev said, without offering further details.

The NATO Allied Command Operations (ACO) unveiled Operation Eastern Sentry last Friday, aimed at reinforcing defenses along its eastern flank. The operation, set to begin imminently and continue indefinitely, is a response to recent airspace breaches, including multiple Russian drone violations over Poland on September 10, NATO said.

Moscow denied any intent to strike Polish territory, insisting its drone attacks targeted Kyiv’s military-industrial facilities in western Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential chief Andriy Yermak underscored the recent drone breach into Poland as proof of the urgent need for a no-fly zone. “This will be protection not only for us, but also for all neighbors,” Yermak said on Sunday.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski voiced personal backing for the no-fly zone concept in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published Monday. Sikorski noted the idea had been discussed a year ago while Joe Biden was still US president.

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