NATO officials state that they are closely monitoring Russia's military activities, including those related to long-range strike capabilities and the use of drones capable of striking the territory of alliance member states.
On Monday in Brussels, officials at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday commented to Interfax-Ukraine on a report by The Telegraph stating that Russia has established secret bases capable of launching powerful drones deep into NATO territory, and that some of them are already being used to strike Ukraine.
A NATO official said the Alliance was closely monitoring Russia's military activities, including its long-range strike capabilities and use of drones. He said NATO had the plans, tools, authority and forces needed to deter aggression and defend against any threat. The Alliance was strengthening its forward defence posture and regularly training its ability to reinforce forward-deployed ground forces in its eastern part. NATO was also strengthening its position by increasing flexibility and accelerating innovation.
The official said drones had become a permanent feature of modern warfare. He said that at the 2026 summit in Ankara, the allies had announced the NATO Drone Edge initiative, under which they would invest approximately $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years and train five times as many drone operators in their armed forces by the end of 2027.
The NATO official also said the allies continued to strengthen resilience and improve the tools at their disposal to ensure that the Alliance remained ready to deter adversaries and defend every ally.
