Russia tests strength of NATO alliance using shadow fleet of drones

Escalation of drone warfare in the Russia-Ukraine conflict will be top of the agenda when NATO allies meet in Turkey next week.

Russia is testing the strength and responsiveness of the alliance after launching a shadow fleet of drones over treaty nations.

Russia appears to have launched drones at European military bases and airports to test the reaction time of NATO allies and their air defences, according to a new report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Over 140 suspected drones were recorded near sensitive sites in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and Denmark between 2024 and 2026.