This is a Guardian story giving Zelensky a platform to sell the line about which European country will be next. I hope, when this is over, (and one hopes it will be), people will ask themselves how they were ever “taken in” by this story-telling. Of course Zelensky wants to draw Europe and NATO in. Militarily; Ukraine is on the ropes. They are brave and determined. But, all the credible military analysis I read, points to the huge imbalance in forces making it hard to see how Ukraine can not slowly continue to lose ground.
I am struck by this wave of stories about drones over Denmark, and Norway, which is the background for Zelensky’s story. We are told that there have been drones flying all around key Danish air bases and that drones hung around a key Norwegian base for an hour. Does NATO not have the ability to shoot down drones? Are we completely defenceless? I mean; these are strategic bases. The Norwegian one is home to Norway’s F35s and, according to the report, a “key NATO base”. These are not drones clipping the edge of NATO airspace.
Why on earth are they not being shot down? There seem to be two possible reasons. 1. NATO does not have the capability around a key strategic air base to defend it from drones or 2. they don’t want to shoot them down because they are afraid of what they might find out about the drones.
I am not a military expert, but I find 1. pretty hard to believe. Which leaves 2.
This site is scrupulously carefully to avoid ungrounded claims or even warrantless speculation. But; we know now who was responsible for Nord Stream being blown up; no one who publicly speculated that Russia did it was called a “conspiracy theorist” as far as I can recall. I’m not suggesting anything. But I am expressing surprise. The drone article doesn’t sound right to me. For example: “Skelkjær said he could not comment on where the drones came from, adding: “We didn’t take them down.” This is the Danish police spokesman. “At least two drones flew “for around an hour” in a restricted area close to Orland, the main base for Norway’s F-35 fighter jets and a key Nato base. “They were not engaged by us,” he said.” That is a spokesman for Norway’s “joint headquarters”, whatever that is. But – while they are not engaging them, Europe is rapidly planning a “drone wall” to defend against this dangerous threat. If they are so dangerous; why not shoot them down? Again; it seems that the drones are serving some kind of purpose.
