A European air force of 120 fighter jets could be deployed to defend the skies from Russian attacks on Kyiv and western Ukraine without provoking a wider conflict with Russia, according to a plan drawn up by military experts.
Points of attention
- One proposal suggests deploying a European air force of 120 fighter jets to create a 'Sky Shield' to defend Ukraine's skies from Russian missiles without provoking a wider conflict.
- The 'Sky Shield' project is supported by influential figures like former US Air Force General Philip Breedlove and aims to enhance Europe's security while safeguarding Ukraine from potential attacks.
- The plan envisions an airspace protection zone that would operate independently from NATO, focusing on preventing Russian cruise missiles and UAVs from targeting strategic locations in Ukraine.
Europe's "Sky shield" to protect Ukraine: what is known
According to experts, such a decision would significantly strengthen the security of Europe and Ukraine.
Proponents of the project claim that Europe's "Sky Shield" would be an airspace protection zone that would operate separately from NATO to stop Russian cruise missiles and UAVs from attacking cities and infrastructure, making it part of the "truce in the sky" proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
It would cover three operating Ukrainian nuclear power plants, the cities of Odessa and Lviv, but not the front line or the east of the country — and, according to a recently published article, could "achieve greater military, political, and socio-economic impact than 10,000 European ground troops."
It is noted that supporters of such a plan are:
former US Air Force general and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Philip Breedlove,
former British Army general and NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander at the beginning of the last decade, Richard Shirreff,
former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski.
In addition, another supporter, namely former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, noted:
The implementation of the "Sky Shield" would become an important component of strengthening Europe, which would effectively and efficiently guarantee the security of Ukraine.
Gabrielius Landsbergis
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania
It is noted that the "Sky Shield" project was developed by former Royal Air Force planners who previously worked with the Ukrainian army. However, European leaders have shown no desire to patrol Ukrainian skies while the war continues.
Concerns in Western political circles are that NATO fighter jets could find themselves directly in conflict with Russia, which could lead to a dangerous escalation of hostilities if aircraft from either side are attacked or shot down, The Telegraph stressed.
At the same time, supporters of the project assure that the risk to the Sky Shield pilots is low, because since the beginning of 2022 Russia has not dared to fly beyond the existing front line. The developers of the plan say that the actual separation from Russian aircraft will be more than 200 km.
