We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan 2022
RUSSIAN BOMBERS and naval ships are set to test missiles off the coast of Ireland.
The Journal has learned that the Irish Government has received a warning of a major exercise by the Russian navy and air force in the Atlantic off the South West coast.
The missile test, or range practice as it is known in military terms, will take place in international waters off the coast of County Cork in the first week of February.
The missiles are expected to be launched by ships and from aircraft although exact details are not known.
The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed that it is to re-route commercial flights and issue a warning.
Exclusive Economic Zone
The area concerned is a relatively small area of water but sources have confirmed that it is within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone – which is patrolled by Irish Naval ships and Air Corps Casa aircraft. It is located approximately 240 kilometres off the Irish coast.
An Exclusive Economic Zone is an area which Ireland has responsibility for and has rights to explore and operate in as a sovereign country.
“There will be a need to issue a notice to commercial pilots to warn them of this issue and there will be a closure of airspace.
“It would be expected from other European member states that we would be able to monitor these types of activities within our area of operations from both an environmental and a security perspective.
“A major oil spill previously occurred from a Russian vessel off our coast in 2009 and the Defence Forces were involved in monitoring it.
“But with no primary radar, a limited number of maritime patrol aircraft and the majority of our naval fleet tied up – it is very difficult to monitor anything on this scale,” a security source said.
The latest development comes as the Russian Government announced that it will carry out exercises with all its naval fleets across the world.
The State owned Taas News Agency reported that the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that the drills will begin at the end of January and conclude in February.
The manoeuvres will take place off the coast of Russia and also in the Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific.
In November Russia tested a number of missile systems including hypersonic and anti-satellite devices in space.
Russian bombers have flown above the Atlantic and down the West Coast of Ireland in recent years with the British RAF sending fighters to monitor the aircraft.
International tensions
International tensions between Russia and Western Bloc countries are at a peak as fears grow of a Russian invasion of Ukraine which is linked to the potential expansion of NATO.
There have also been accusations that Russian hackers had targeted critical Norwegian infrastructure in recent weeks.
Cathal Berry, TD, a former Defence Forces Officer, has warned in the Dáil of the danger of the Ukrainian situation for Ireland.
“This is a range practice. This is what the great powers do, the exercise is posturing and is about messaging directly with European powers,” he told The Journal today.
“The location is not an accident and has been entirely anticipated – they could be doing this off the coast of Murmansk but have chosen the Atlantic instead. There has been an increased number of incursions in to this area and near to Irish airspace.
“The concern from a military perspective is that an exercise is a very easy way to assemble large amounts of military assets into an area under false pretences and be a precursor to other activities.
“It is not unprecedented, but it is unusual to see it so close to the Irish area of economic responsibility.”
Deputy Berry said the potential threat to Irish sovereignty has been caused by an under resourced defence response.
“We took a gamble on peace in Europe, that it would always be there and we were wrong – a single event like this is the classic moment when the gambler has put all his money on one prediction with the consequence of potentially losing everything.
“Our navy is under equipped and undermanned, our Air Corps have no response capability but we will have to send out someone to monitor this when it happens.
“But the issue is we are the weakest link in European defence and this kind of incident shows that clearly,” he added.
The Department of Transport said: “Management of Irish Air Traffic Control Airspace is a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
“The IAA has advised the Department that the safety of civil aircraft operations will not be impacted by the proposed military activity, as all civilian aircraft will be routed away from the area.”
Warning
The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed that a warning, known as a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), is to be issued to commercial aviation.
“The IAA has been made aware via the normal international processes for such events in International Waters regarding a Russian navy artillery test 240 kilometres off the south west coast of Ireland in early February.
“An ICAO NOTAM will be published to provide notification to pilots of the activity. The publication of a NOTAM for these type of activities is a well established process which has associated Pilot and Air Traffic Control procedures to ensure that there will be no impact to the safety of civil aircraft operations.
“Although the efficiency of aircraft routing may be affected, the safety of operations within Irish Air Traffic Control Airspace will not be impacted, as all civilian aircraft will be routed away from this area during the activity.
“While not common, notifications for similar activity in International Waters within Irish controlled airspace are received from time to time from other jurisdictions and the same procedures are applied to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft at all times,” the IAA statement said.
The Russian Embassy in Dublin has described the reports of missile testing as “fake news” – they did not elaborate on the reason for this claim.
Concerns
A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday evening that it was aware of the Russian naval exercises and has raised “concerns” with Moscow.
“The location where the exercises are taking place is approximately 240 kilometres off the south west coast and within Ireland’s 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but not in Ireland’s territorial waters.
“Under international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), states are entitled to carry out naval exercises in another state’s EEZ. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) were informed of the exercise via standard procedures.
“In light of the current political and security environment in Europe, the Department of Foreign Affairs has raised a number of concerns with the Russian authorities and discussions will continue,” she said.
‘Hugely concerning’
Reacting to The Journal’s story, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on defence Sorca Clarke said she is “deeply concerned” by the development.
“The lack of primary radar is the reason other state entities have been probing our airspace for years with high-altitude bombers and escorts. These foreign aircraft can see us but we cannot see them.
“While the 2015 White Paper recognises that radar surveillance is a priority, there has been no meaningful action by Government since then to deliver on it. Our Naval Service is now understaffed and under-equipped with no capability to see below sea level and normal operation of units is an ongoing issue.
“Our own Defence Forces staffing levels have been impacted by reducing numbers over the last number of years and it is an area of concern repeatedly highlighted by representative bodies.”
Clarke added that reports of naval service ships being anchored or running on skeleton crews due to severe understaffing are “hugely worrying”.
“International testing exercises, such as these latest reports from Russia, are placing increased pressure on our already over-stretched Defence Forces that successive governments have failed to invest in and support properly,” she said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Just when Covid seems to be getting under control.. the Russians are coming
@Maeve Hurrell: This clearly is a mission for Clare Daly and Mick Wallace to tend to…
@LaoisWeather: love it
@LaoisWeather: love it
@LaoisWeather: The Russians would hardly agree to attaching them 2 to any of the projectiles
@LaoisWeather: They certainly might do a better job than the saber rattling of Nato and the U.S. who should remember a old saying..Be careful for what you wish for.
I’ve commented a good few times on thejournal about the Russian Air Force and Russian Military operations in Irish space over a number of years and the general response is a mix of “why would Russia do that to Ireland, they love us” and “it’s the Americans are the bad guys”. The reality is Russia
has eyes on Eastern Europe and expansion, if they intimidate the EU and allies of the US, the UK, NATO, into a defensive position then they will have much more leverage, they have been planning the march toward expansion for years. As I said before, it would be good for thejournal to get a journalist to do an article on Russia buzzing Irish air space and their operations over the past decade, include the hacking of defense systems, I expect it would be eye opening for many.
@Local Ore: in all my years reading the comments here on the Journal I have never once seen anyone say the Russians love us – never mind it being the general consensus.
@EillieEs: I see a lot of people blaming the US for the war in Syria where the Assad regime is staunchly supported by Putin.
@Fifty Shades of Sé: You fail to mention the so called Arab Spring supported by the West. It left the region in turmoil. The U.S. supported by the West is just as guilty as Russia. Just another proxy war between Superpowers.
@Local Ore: Russian/soviet expansion has been touted a call to defensive arms for centuries and yet the Russians have done very little expanding of their borders. Russia has spend more of its history fighting off invaders than expanding its borders but this fact is lost in the age old western claims that we need to guard against it whilst expanding influence and military positions around the world. Russia isn’t the fair maiden on the block but we need to acknowledge that we are very much aligned with the actual bullies.
@Local Ore: U2 flights over the USSR now replaced by satellites .Every country has own form of gathering intelligence. You seem to have no problem with nuclear submarines from U.S. and Nato warships around the Irish coast .
@Local Ore: fully agree.
@Ivan Connolly: I’m not sure at what point in history you are referring to when you say very little expanding of their borders but if you include centuries, then look to the last one – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kaliningrad, a few examples of countries who wouldn’t agree with you, but that’s a different Russia. How about the Russian federation – Ichkeria, Pytalovsky Raion, Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia), Ukraine, Bolshoy Island, Tarabarov Island, Transnistria (Moldova), to name a few. I spent nearly three years on and off working with the civilian arm of Russian Military, the Russian folk I worked with would get a good laugh out of your comment as they have a very different view of Russia and it’s power and strength to you
@Donal Desmond: In the region in general the US is at least as guilty as Russia but in the case of Syria the Putin-backed Assad regime are clearly the aggressors yet it’s Western Europe that has to deal with the refugee crisis.
The US actually had very little to do with the Syrian War, they gave some logistical help to the Free Syrian Army in the early stages of the war but that’s enough for some on the anti-American left to leave them culpable for the whole debacle.
@Fifty Shades of Sé: The refuge crisis started with the so called Arab Spring. As for the logistical help given was military hardware supplied by the U.S. and the West. Syria has always been a thorn in the side of Israel. The fact that It was the Syrian Army defeated ISIS should be recognised. Ironically the U.S. and the West demand sovereignty for the Ukraine, Yet because Syria has Russian support Assad and his government are classed as a terrorist regime. The U.S. had no problem in supporting a dictator called the Shah in Iran, yet when he was overthrown, Iran became a terrorist state. Suppose it’s which ever dictator is in power is designated by the U.S. if he’s a good guy or a bad guy.
It might be an idea for us to invest in a proper radar system for a start
@Thomas Harrington: we subscribe to Flightradar24
@Thomas Harrington: There’s probably an app for that.
@Thomas Harrington: at least we will see them coming
@Patrick McGarry: Many years ago, I had a Russian language teacher who was retired from the Irish Defence Forces. In the 1960s, he had been sent to the Soviet Union to learn Russian. Why? As he explained: “We couldn’t stop them if they came, but at least we would have someone who could talk to them.”
I for one welcome our new Russian overlords, Kent brockman channel 6 news ……
Eamon Ryan can calculate their carbon footprint
Where’s donny trump when you need him
@Why Biscuits: Putin’s lapdog? He’s preparing for a 2024 election bid to better serve his master.
@Why Biscuits: Are you not busy suing the government?
@Alan Biddulph: all in good time alan
If we benefited from the the natural gas here we could afford to patrol our territory and offset Russian control on Europe, never mind clearing the debt. https://www.marine.ie/Home/site-area/irelands-marine-resource/real-map-ireland
@Watchful Axe: nah, silly greens banned it
@LaoisWeather: Absolutely not silly. Our current path to climate destruction will result in the short term in continual reliance on expensive foreign controlled fossil fuels with ever increasing prices, and in the end of human civilisation in the next 2 or 3 generations. A major war will accelerate this and also lead to even higher fossil fuel prices – even as renewables are cheaper now and will get cheaper all the time in the future.
The RAF train a lot nearer than this and at one point it was thought possible that RAF training was responsible for the Tuscar Rock plane crash. Maybe we could invite a TU-160 to our next airshow ,- even better to see than concorde. Next time you fly to London via Liverpool and not direct over Wales remember it is RAF restricted airspace. They are all at it – the US military antagonising the Chinese in the South China Sea or Russia in the Black Sea. At least someone told us! Nothing to see here but an interesting story anyway.
We be grand, Eamonn Ryan sort this one out
@Kevin O’Hara: he’ll have the army jump on their Raleigh Choppers and head south at 5mph in the cycle lanes.
Not Smart. Whats the message
Ireland not a member of NATO. Russia Comes to flex its muscle over Ukraine about becoming a member of NATO.
Message is join NATO or we’ll do what we want. Ireland need consider seriously to join NATO. We are all but in it.
Russian can either choose to be part of a vibrant modern world and lead within it or a crumbling statue to an archaic past. . .
@Albert Brennerman: it is international air space so being a member of NATO makes no difference. NATO, particularly the USA are always conducting exercises to antagonise the Russians and Chinese. Just because air traffic control services are provided from Ireland does not make it sovereign air space.
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: International air space? I thought we were talking about Irish sovreign economic area? On the water.
@Albert Brennerman: Archaic past ? It was Russia that bore the blunt of Nazi Germany..The Red Flag flying over Berlin was poetic justice.
@Albert Brennerman: yes let’s join nato and send our families off to be killed fighting illegal wars in Iraq Syria Afghanistan etc etc. Wars that have nothing to do with us
Couldn’t Moscow Mick and Kremlin Clare put in a good word for us?
@Pat O’Leary – Seriously Annoying: Why do you assume that because they are pacifists, which is our nations official position if we equate it with neutrality, that they are somehow shills for the Russians. If you want to find real Russian apologists look to the capitalists running the UK and Irish financial services industry. Everyone knows that London is known as Londonistan by the Russians who use the “City” to launder all their ill gotten gains. They have been lobbying the Americans for years not to impose tough sanctions on the Russians. Osborne sent an e mail in 2014 to Obama’s government saying that if sanctions were toughened the City of London financial centre could collapse as it depended on this corrupt finance. The UK and its Irish financial satellite love Russian money.
Excuse me, what? Is this April 1st?
@яα¢нєℓ: niet
Autocorrect strikes again. It’s Crimea you’re after Valid, not Cork.
@HarveyLemonade: Annexing Cobh might be his next target
@HarveyLemonade: Cork’s waters are best for everything….including missile testing!
@Rochelle: well we already had Shannon annexed by the US, so why not give Putin a bit of Cork, while the Chinese can have Dublin.
@Angela McCarthy: ah but we gave Shannon to the USSR in the cold war so they could refuel their aircraft on the way to Cuba so fair is fair. We are neutral!
@Angela McCarthy: thought the Chinese were interested in Athlone?
@LaoisWeather: they pulled out, back handers and planning.
Excellent article on just how impotent we are in terms of defending our airspace + what it might cost to remedy if anyone in Government gave a toss (they don’t).
@Pat O’Leary: I did not see anything about defending our sovereign air space or it’s cost. Maybe we read different articles. These types of manoeuvres are carried out by many nations in international air space managed by Irish air traffic controllers not just the Russians. I have no idea of the “cost” of what you have in mind but I would prefer to see Irish taxes used to help the people of Ireland and not engage in purchasing aircraft and anti aircraft military equipment to defend the indefensible. We could join a military alliance and abandon neutrality but I think our peace leeping roll as a non aligned neutral state is more valuable to the world. Remember that these are taking place in international waters and airspace so there is nothing to defend against.
This could be one for the Skibbereen Eagle!
Can’t protect our fisheries never mine Cork
Waters patrolled by Ireland, which has no air defence aircraft whatsoever, only two maritime patrol aircraft and an operational fleet of just six naval patrol vessels, are perfect for Russian exercises. Sure, we don’t even have a cabinet-level Minister for Defence.
Russian totally correct in flexing their might at this time. Despite the phoney war with NATO I have a suspension that this show of force is more directed at the Chinese. Although preceived as somewhat allies I’d think the Russians are very sceptical of their current objectives.
@Gavin Linden: A suspension?!
Me hole will sort it out…
@marcusmckenna: i hear that putin already hiding in the closet after he hear that Me Hole is coming after him
@John Johnes: wait till he hears that Roy will be on welcoming committee!
The Russian missile tests 240km off the south-west coast of peaceful Ireland present a golden opportunity for an Irish marine entrepreneur. Just imagine the tourist attraction – sea trips from Bantry Bay, on a well furnished cruise boat with food and appropriate refreshments provided, to the area where the intended tests are taking part. Super photo and video opportunities for all on board. Failte Ireland executives must be licking their lips. CIA operatives posing as ordinary tourists will gladly pay the high fees to the tour operator.
Can we get a big arrow made up pointing them to the UK?
@TheKloppKop: make sure it’s pointing straight at Liverpool
Send out the Irish Navy, that ought to scare them
@Locutus Of Borg: European army..thats what I think this is about..its coming …one shit show after another in this country
Wooo quick get the Berry popper out and the water hose…no point getting our army cause there is no one left in it.
@Locutus Of Borg: Men against boys l guess
@Locutus Of Borg: on inflated boats armed with a hurley.
That will scare them off.
Don’t they have their own f sea?
Just when Covid seems to be getting under control.. the Russians are coming
I for one welcome our new Russian overlords.
добро пожаловать товарищ
@kjholt: Surely there’ll be more than one.
Hm could it be we are opening up the country in order to take the public’s mind off the fact that this is happening? So much for those who believe that being in the EU wouldn’t effect your neutrality. Was the mention of the 19/19 first Dail a call to Arms in case we need it? Sure we’ll give it a quick mention mr speech writer just to be on the safe side. I’ll help you with the spelling later!
@Anne Marie Kearney: Probably a good time to put down the wine I’d say….
A shure we’ll be grand, won’t our neighbours across the pond come to our rescue if we get into a bit of bother. ‘Everybody needs good neighbors’.
@Noel Martin: well… It’s all we’ve got if we’re honest. And let’s not play down what a handy launch pad for missiles to the USA we would be if anyone fancied a crack at that
It’s international waters and Russia is not an enemy power. Whatever we think about Putin, they are quite entitled to.
I see an opportunity to sell them some duty free.
Sounds like a weapons sales man inspired storey….if Ireland can do anything it can use its position on the UN to internationaly mobilise the same amount of money for peace initiatives as spent on arms ……… this is an open door. The Russians unlike the Americans have suffered more than any in the world from war…. they are rightly nervous about their borders. The would prosper with peace…. the US economy would suffer with peace…
Its is pathetic we dont have our own aircraft to patrol out skys
It’s a TU22M, basically completely different to a TU22 or TU160.. if you are going to be pedantic at least be right!
No bother Putin lad work away. Great bunch of lads the Russians
Well? what do expect us to do? Give Putin such a look?
World War 3?
@john: WW 2.5. It upgrades to 3.0 once a shot is fired.
All the Putin apologists on here still think he’s harmless?
Wrong plane in the picture, that is Tu22 (could be one of those Russia got from Ukraine under the Bucharest memorandum). Tu22 is a much older plane, so chances of it crashing and polluting Irish fishing ground with toxic chemicals are higher.
Do not worry people, Sean Simpson and Kerill (sorry mate, cannot remember your name) will soon explain how it is OK because NATO county do the somewhere else.
Lets hope they will not be firing their new weapons (burevestnik) that polluted their own sea and land with nuclear waste a few years back. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/08/19/satellite-imagery-shows-russia-readying-burevestnik-nuclear-missile-test-cnn-a74842
There will be a major incident and a large Russian naval ship damaged. It will be reported that it can’t reach any Russian naval base. It will request docking in Cork or a large port, once there Russian military will take over harbour threaten a push north unless NATO,US and Europe agree to their terms.
@Peter Tutty: if you actually believe that I suggest you get your head checked
@Roy Dowling: Everyone can speculate, fictious, comedic or not without remarks like get your head checked.
As McGregor would say “you’ll do nothing”
@Euro McPúnty: we will send this wise , intellectual man to negotiate with putin
Out of the frying pan into the line of fire!
The Shannon rivers deposit rich side of the Atlantic sea bed is now the centre point of Rusty rusky saver rattling! Woo hoo the English radar will be pinging?! Ironic eye roll, I’m off to bed the pubs are open tmrw be Jesus!
@Epgenetics29 Declan Christoph: — Saver rattling? Is that when rumours spread about banks going bust and people losing their deposits?
@E.J. Murray: spelling nazis work on Fridays, a c r a p I thought I’d get away with that one!
Nato is the Sales Department of the arms industry and, even though we are not in that immoral business, we have lots of cheerleaders for the weapons sellers.
The silent politician, Cathal Berry TD, came out with a great one: “the potential threat to Irish sovereignty has been caused by an under-resourced defence response.” Perhaps he doesn’t know about the US military base at Shannon where we sold our sovereignty for an annual trip to Washington and photo op on the White House lawn.
Down with this sort if thing . . . Carful now !
Grand so, we’ll go over conduct war games off their coast next. We have a Navy ?
Danny Healy Rae will sort the Russians out!!!!
Yes Mr Putin, do whatever you want Mr Putin. I hope it doesn’t affect the US planes using Shannon for their “military exercises”.
As usual with such stories….. the Journal has learned from sources!…no reporters name etc….and even if true ….. the US, the real agent of threat uses Shannon Airport every day to run its wars…… and our Gov. Says OK.
Would they (the Russians) be interested in leasing Knock Airport? Sure, them Orthodox Christians have great devotion to the Madonna. Twould fix the national debt.
we better draw up some light pink lines in the sand
Small man syndrome at its most extreme.
Ah we’ll be grand, if war breaks out we’ll just welcome whoever wins with open arms.
@Brian Timmons: Resistance is Exhausting.
The next 2 Russian missile tests are critical.
The Irish lads can throw rocks at them to scare them off
And there is nothing we can do about it….
Sounds like they lost The Red October again
@Niall O’Cofaigh – the link I posted sets out the estimated costs of various options in terms of giving us the ability to monitor + defend our airspace. You know, as opposed to depending on the RAF to do same. As set out we have no idea who is transiting our airspace if the aircraft in question have transponders switched off, which Russian military aircraft often do. I love your benign view of the proposed Russian naval exercises off our coast – location selected at random by Putin et al, no doubt. Wake up + smell the coffee – it’s a big bad World in 2022 + our defence capabilities, such as they are, are a joke. And BTW, for “peace leeping roll” I presume you meant “peace keeping role”.
@Leovvaradkar Seen this???
@Scott Mcgarry: not yet, himself and Paul Reid were on the lash in Doheny and Nesbits last night. Heard they shared a cab home too.
The Russians must have heard that the pubs are back to normal
it’s a clear msg to usa…they can control eu
Should be told to stsy in Russia
The Swedes had to redeploy troops to Gotland island recently over Russian navy and now this, anyone that says Russia isn’t antagonizing other nations is off their heads.
I hope that they are a little gentler than the British were. Dig up the guns people a little fighting on the way
So much for being a Neutral state.
@Scott Coulter: it’s in international waters.
@Scott Coulter: International waters, they can go wherever they like.
@Scott Coulter: Ireland is not a ‘neutral state’ it is Non-Aligned. Shannon Airport was always open for example during the cold war to Russians on their way to Cuba.
Let them try it …….and we’ll set the FCA on the feckers.
Looking at the Eu maritime map Russia from the position 250km South West of Cork could ping UK, Europe mainland as well as the The island of Ireland.Great position for a few missiles practice.My backside.
WTF
Is this not glasnost and perestroika ?
And it’s not even April Fools Day? Waterford Whispers News be all over this soon.
Answer putin better to look after his people who are piss poor. Show him up for who he really is..
Delighted for Russia, NATO really should just invite them to join already and then there would be no fighting.
A bit like a ball game – 22 grown men kicking a ball around a field with a guy in the middle dressed in black blowing a whistle – give them all a ball
I beg your pardon?
So?
The Journal learned from what source…
@Aoife D’Armody: oh a government source
Could we launch Dolores Cahill against them ?
Make sure to leave the house spotless when your finished lads
Are we at war with Russia?
Send out our fleet of euro fighters………quick
What the heck? Get out of our water. Go use your own.
Who really cares. The winds of war have been blowing for years now, faith a comply
It’s just a show of mine is bigger than yours and a display of their ability to make the west think twice before they stick their nose in their business again, they are operating in international waters just like British and American do, I’m sure beneath the waves everyones submarine fleet will be playing hide and seek , it’s mussel flexing simple as
Ah for Jaysus , that is all we need !!
We should ask the Brits to go down and put the run on them
Whaaaat?
We have the British nave patrolling and doing whatever they want. We have American airforce in Shannon . Why not the Russians in cork. Rebel red army.
Foxtrot Oscar Putin. He’s gone too far now with the trolling and aggression. The West needs to act now. This is Hitler all over again.
Even if Ireland were to invest heavily in modernising and beefing up it’s Armed Forces, it would still not make a blind bit of a difference in it’s defensive capabilities and it would still have to depend heavily on Nato to come to it’s aid for defence. That simply put is because even though it forms, and is seen as part of Western Europe, it does not belong to any bigger military organisation, like a combined common European Defensive force. One has to then ask, in this day and age, is it a price worth paying for it’s stance of strict neutraliy???? If it is, then expect further bold incursions and aggressive violations, with total impunity of it’s EEZ….
have your say