UK military personnel and equipment are being sent to Belgium to help it bolster its defences after drone incursions on its airspace, suspected of being carried out by Russia.
The new head of the UK military, Sir Richard Knighton, told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that his Belgian counterpart asked for assistance earlier this week and that kit and personnel were on the way.
Belgium's main airport Zavantem was forced to close temporarily on Thursday night after drones were spotted nearby. They were also spotted in other locations, including a military base.
Sir Richard said it was not known if the incursions were by Russia, but added it was plausible they had been ordered by Moscow.
He added that the decision to aid Belgium had been made alongside Defence Secretary John Healey.
Alongside NATO allies, he added that the UK would help Belgium by providing our kit and capability which he said was already being deployed. On Friday the German defence ministry said it would support Belgium with anti-drone measures after a request from Brussels.
About 3,000 Brussels Airlines passengers were affected by the disruption, and the carrier said it faced considerable costs from cancelling or diverting dozens of flights.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and the Belgian security services have said they suspect Russia, but Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken has previously admitted there is no accompanying evidence.
France reiterated that the incursions have become a serious problem, affecting civilian infrastructure across multiple European countries.
More broadly, Sir Richard stated that Russia remains the most pressing threat right now to Europe. He noted the illegal invasion of Ukraine as a significant contributing factor to the heightened state of alert across the continent.
Officials report increased drone sightings contributing to extensive flight disruptions in various parts of Europe, including Sweden and Norway. Despite these concerns, the Kremlin has denied involvement in these incursions.
