Reckless Putin ‘pushing Nato into crisis mode’ amid fears bomb-drone ‘deliberately targeted’ £3.4billion gas project

VLADIMIR Putin could push Nato into “crisis” mode if the reckless tyrant continues to test the alliance with brazen incursions and attacks. Nato scrambled fighter jets to destroy a marine drone reportedly loaded with explosives close to a crucial Black Sea gas project in Romania on Wednesday. The marine drone which Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta said was destroyed by F-16 fighter jets Credit: Reuters The Neptun Deep project is expected to make Romania the EU’s largest gas producer Credit: http://www.omvpetrom.com The suspected Russian plot comes amid fears of an “apocalyptic” war in Europe – as Putin lines its borders with new drone bases capable of striking Nato. Intelligence expert Professor Anthony Glees told The Sun: “Unless Putin agrees to desist from crossing Nato’s borders again, Nato will move into crisis mode. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! “All of us in Nato are genuinely afraid that Putin, hitting out all over the place, will light the fuse that would lead to more general war between Russia and Nato.” Romania spotted the threat around Neptun Deep and deployed F-16 jets to blast away the drone before it could wreck the vital energy source. Vladimir Putin holds a meeting aboard the a missile cruiser this week Credit: EPA British paratroopers exit an American Chinook during Nato training close to the Russian border in Finland Credit: PA The drone got within a few hundred metres from the platform before it was targeted. The £3.4billion Neptun Deep project is expected to make Romania the European Union‘s largest gas producer when it comes onstream in 2027. It is feared to have become a target due to its vital future role in global gas trade which has been severely hampered since the Ukraine war. Earlier this month, Romanian army divers were also deployed to destroy two Gerbera-type drones drifting in the exclusive economic zone near the project. Most read in The Sun Romania destroyed two drones drifting in the Neptun Deep project earlier this month Credit: Reuters Huge explosions were seen on the water as the Gerbera-type drones were blasted Credit: Reuters The attacks show “Russia is trying to replicate Ukrainian tactics”, former British army officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said. He told The Sun: “Russia is seeing how deadly attacks on their national infrastructure can be, particularly the oil and gas industry.” Kyiv has intensified long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities recently. The crippling strikes have forced Russia – a fuel exporter in peacetime – to import fuel, the government confirmed this week. Hamish said: “If Russia could damage Europe’s gas industry, in this case in Romania, that would make sense. Attacks like the one we’ve seen in Romania will probably increase. “Russia keeps telling us, and telling us here in the UK, that they’re going to attack us.” This would come in the form of drone and missile incursions in the Baltics, Poland and elsewhere, Hamish said. “We have to make sure that we’re absolutely ready to interdict anything and destroy any threats before they create casualties or damage across Europe or in the UK,” Hamish added. Thick plumes of smoke rise from an oil refinery following a Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow Credit: Reuters Russian military expert Keir Giles told The Sun: “Nato and its member states have succeeded in sidestepping discussion of invoking Article 5 in response to Russia’s pattern of escalation. “But there is only so far that pretence can be sustained. In the meantime Russia has every incentive to continue to push the boundaries of what it can get away with.” Romanian President Nicusor Dan quickly blamed Russia for Wednesday’s intrusion. He said: “I strongly condemn the intensification of these types of irresponsible incidents on the part of the Russian Federation. “We remain vigilant alongside Nato allies to defend ourselves and repel such challenges.” Romania shares a 382-mile land border with Ukraine and has seen Russian drones breaching its airspace over the last four years of war. The latest came on Wednesday night when a drone entered Romanian airspace near Galati before crashing in an unpopulated area in the county of Tulcea. Two Spanish F-18 aircraft and a Romanian helicopter were later deployed to protect the border. Putin is becoming increasingly ‘reckless’ as he faces a series of worrying crises at home Credit: AP Russia has built dozens of new drone bases along its border with Ukraine and Belarus Credit: AP Anthony, a European security expert, said: “In the past four days there have been three cases of Russian drones flying into Romanian airspace. “Romania is a Nato and an EU member and it means the whole of Nato and the whole of the EU is now being threatened by Putin as he comes increasingly desperate and correspondingly reckless.” Putin is facing a string of worrying crises on his doorstep with his national support beginning to wane, the Kremlin’s cash dwindling and the war with Ukraine now at an embarrassing stalemate for the despot. With his back against the wall, Putin could choose to risk it all and attempt a World War Three-stoking attack on a Nato nation, experts warn. It comes as dozens of drone launch sites have emerged along Russia’s border with Ukraine and Belarus – placing Nato allies well within reach of Putin’s war machine. Images showed enough storage at one base for more than 1,000 long-range suicide drones to be kept on site at one time. And new US intelligence report revealed last week that US officials fear Putin is plotting a small-scale land incursion to test the alliance. The despot could probe Nato’s defences with a possible attack at any point between autumn this year and 2029, the report said. Keir said: “There is no reason for Russia to stop escalating until it is given a reason by Nato. “As long as there is a reluctance to recognise these attacks as the war like acts they are, and respond accordingly, Russia has every incentive to push harder. “Russia may have already been surprised by how much they have been able to engage in open hostility without any visible push back.” After Wednesday’s overnight drone scare in Romania, a raging European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen slammed a “hybrid warfare” campaign against the bloc. She said: “An escalating campaign of threats is underway, unsettling our citizens and seeking to divide our Union.” Von der Leyen warned the EU must step up its defence plans to be able to “deter provocation and aggression”. But she fell short of directly blaming Putin‘s Russia. Keir said: “We’ve already seen a long term process of bolder and more dangerous attacks spreading across a wider geographical area. “The problem with an entirely defensive response is the cost imbalance to further escalation. All these reactions are causing Nato great expense at little cost to Russia. “The challenge Nato faces is that individual countries are unwilling to take on Russia on their own. So they need assurance that Nato and the EU will stand behind them.” Comment now