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Coverage · NATO Eastern Flank

Key event

NATO launches Eastern Sentry

12 September 2025 Essential

What happened

Two days after Russian drones violated Polish airspace on the night of 9–10 September, NATO's Secretary General and SACEUR announce Eastern Sentry, a flexible, multi-domain military activity enhancing vigilance along the entire eastern flank, ordered by SACEUR under his existing authorities. Allies contribute additional capabilities — fighter jets, helicopters, transport aircraft, air defence systems, surveillance aircraft and frigates — with coordination improved through NATO. NATO states that Eastern Sentry builds on the experience of Baltic Sentry.

Eastern Sentry was the module's top-level activity from September 2025 and the clearest case of the alliance's post-2022 method: a named, flexible activity assembled from national contributions on top of standing missions, rather than a new permanent structure. NATO now describes it as the bridge to the air defence posture that replaced Baltic Air Policing in 2026.

Confidence: High

When12 September 2025
KindMilitary · Political
ArenaAlliance command and decision
Confidence: High Sources: NATO official texts and summit declarations↗ Methodology Corrections

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Where this fits

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