Gipsy Kings by André Reyes to Perform in Prague This November
Partner article
Sep 24, 2026
Czech President Warns NATO Allies May Need to Shoot Down Russian Aircraft
Prague Morning
Follow us on Google Discover
Czech President Petr Pavel has warned that NATO may eventually need to shoot down Russian aircraft or drones that deliberately violate the alliance’s airspace.
Speaking to Fox News Digital in New York during the U.N. General Assembly, Pavel said Russia was testing NATO’s readiness and could interpret continued restraint as a sign of weakness.
“There might be the time when we will have to shoot down some of these planes or unmanned vehicles that are testing our readiness,” Pavel said.
Pavel said the alliance needs to distinguish between accidental airspace violations and deliberate incursions in which an aircraft ignores warnings to leave.
“If it is deliberate and the violator doesn’t respond to our measures, then we will have to act, because otherwise Russia simply would push further on,” he said.
His comments came after a series of incidents involving Russian aircraft and drones near NATO territory.
On Wednesday, a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace after crossing from the Kaliningrad region. According to Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command, the helicopter travelled around 300 metres into Polish territory and remained there for 42 seconds.
On Thursday, Romania also scrambled two F-16 fighter jets after an unidentified aerial target entered its airspace from the direction of Ukraine. The object later crashed near the country’s border with Ukraine, with no casualties reported.
Pavel said Russia’s actions reminded him of incidents during his time at NATO, when Russian aircraft repeatedly tested the responses of allied forces.
“They are, on one hand, provoking. On the other, testing what will our reaction be,” he said.
In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, Pavel said Russia’s “aggressive posture poses a direct threat to European security” and warned that the risks were increasing.
The Czech president also questioned whether Russia was genuinely prepared to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. He said Moscow would need to agree to a ceasefire before entering meaningful negotiations without conditions.
Promote your business to thousands of expats in Prague Find out how.
Partner Content
Would you like your story featured here? Get in touch with our team at [email protected]
