Belgian authorities closed the airspace above Brussels Zaventem Airport after reports of a drone flying over the airfield on Tuesday night. The public broadcaster VRT said all departures and arrivals were immediately suspended.
Flights briefly resumed before a second drone sighting forced another shutdown. Liège Airport, which initially received diverted aircraft from Brussels, also halted operations following a separate drone report.
A spokesperson for skeyes, Belgium’s air traffic control agency, confirmed the first sighting occurred around 8 p.m. local time. Officials diverted flights to Ostend-Bruges and Charleroi Brussels South as precautionary measures.
NATO and EU Heighten Surveillance
Both NATO and the European Union increased vigilance after multiple airspace breaches, suspected to involve Russian aircraft and drones. The latest incidents in Belgium deepened regional unease over potential Russian surveillance activity.
At the end of September, NATO warned Moscow that it would defend member nations against further airspace violations. The alliance issued the statement after Polish forces shot down Russian drones and Estonia reported unauthorized entry by Russian fighter jets.
The September 10 breach over Poland marked the first direct confrontation between NATO and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Estonia claimed three Russian MiG-31s entered its airspace for twelve minutes without clearance—a charge Moscow denied.
NATO Responds with New Deterrence Plan
The violations alarmed European leaders, who questioned the alliance’s readiness to counter Russian provocations. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte launched the Eastern Sentry initiative to strengthen defenses and support Poland.
“We see drones violating our skies,” Rutte said. “Intentional or not, it remains unacceptable. Our allies stand firmly with Poland. We must confront aggression and defend every member of the Alliance.”
The new program underscores NATO’s commitment to deterrence as airspace tensions across Europe continue to rise.
