UK Armed Forces Authorized to Shoot Down Unidentified Drones Near Military Bases

UK Defense Secretary John Healey announced that his government is preparing new laws that will enable its armed forces to shoot down unidentified drones in the vicinity of military bases on Monday.

As per UKDJ, Healey made the remarks as part of his address at the Lord Mayor’s Annual Defence and Security Lecture in London, which focused heavily on the UK’s contribution to Ukraine’s war effort and European security.

“We will always do what’s needed to keep the British people safe,” Healey said – especially in the context of what he called a “new era of threat.”

“As we speak, we are developing new legal powers to bring down unidentified drones over UK military sites,” he added.

Healey also announced that it would cost over £100 million ($134 million) to put British boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a post-war peacekeeping force – in addition to the £4.5 billion ($6 billion) already slated for Ukraine this year.

The UK government, which co-chairs the Coalition of the Willing along with France, is committed to meeting the cost of sending troops to Ukraine should a ceasefire with Russia be agreed.

The UK is not alone in granting new powers to its personnel to address the growing threat of drones. On Oct. 8, a law granting Germany’s federal police officers the right to shoot down drones violating its airspace in cases of “acute threat or harm” passed its first phase.

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Russian Strike on Zaporizhzhia Residential District Leaves 2 Dead, 18 Wounded

A Russian drone strike hit a residential area in Zaporizhzhia on June 8, killing two people and injuring 18 others, including 4 children and 2 teenagers, according to regional officials. The attack damaged homes and infrastructure as emergency services worked at the scene. The strike came a day after Russian forces launched guided aerial bomb attacks elsewhere in the Zaporizhzhia region, including Balabyne, where 3 civilians were killed.

This development follows a number of incidents which have seen EU and NATO member countries have their airspace violated by unidentified drones, in many cases suspected of belonging to Russia.