Moscow directs its warning primarily to Turkey and the US. According to Russia, new deliveries could damage mutual relations and trust. Russia also questions countries involved in diplomacy toward ending the war while simultaneously supplying new weapons to Ukraine.
Turkey plays an important role in the new armament of Ukraine. This includes American weapons made available via Turkey. The package mentions seventy ATACMS missiles and twelve M270 rocket launchers. This again provides Ukraine with American long-range weapons.
Ammunition Factories
The Russian warning follows a series of security incidents in Europe. On August 13, the ammunition factory KNDS Ammo Italy in Colleferro, about fifty kilometers southeast of Rome, was hit by a major fire and explosion. The factory produces, among other things, heavy artillery ammunition and supplies Ukraine as well.
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The fire started in a part of the complex where powder is processed. A heavy explosion followed, which was heard from a considerable distance and caused material damage. There were no fatalities or injuries. Employees were able to reach safety in time. Italian authorities and the company launched an investigation.
So far, there is no evidence that Russia was involved in the explosion. Italian investigators initially treated the event as an industrial accident, and Russian sabotage has not been established. Three days earlier, there were also fires and explosions at a storage site of Bulgarian arms producer EMCO near Belitsa. There were no casualties there either.
Drone Attacks
Additionally, German authorities are investigating a serious incident at Leipzig/Halle airport. There, a drone loaded with explosives was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane. American sources pointed toward Russia, and German authorities investigated a possible hybrid attack, but Russian responsibility has not been definitively established.
Along NATO’s eastern border, drone incidents have also increased. Latvia, Poland, and Romania have repeatedly experienced violations of their airspace. NATO states that Russia bears full responsibility for the dangerous and unacceptable airspace violations along the eastern flank.
Baltic States
Over Latvia, NATO fighter jets took actual action again. Two Italian Eurofighters scrambled after a foreign drone entered Latvian airspace. One of the aircraft shot down the drone. Two Turkish F-16s also flew into action. All involved aircraft operated under NATO command.
This was the second time a drone of this kind was shot down over Latvia. In June, French fighter jets had already taken down a foreign drone. The origin of the latest drone was not yet clear. NATO has launched an investigation into the incident.